Religion Commons^™

Hybrid War: The Influence Of The Russian Orthodox Church On The Ukrainian Media, Oksana Lytvynchuk, Andrii Shevchuk, Zoriana Hrytsyshena

Occasional Papers on Religion in Eastern Europe

This article examines the Russian Orthodox Church (ROC) as a key instrument of hybrid warfare against Ukraine. It analyzes the ROC's primary strategies for influencing Ukraine's information space, particularly through religious rhetoric manipulation and the exploitation of ecclesiastical structures to disseminate pro-Kremlin narratives. The study identifies key mechanisms of the ROC's media influence, including direct control over religious media outlets, active participation of clergy in promoting Russian propaganda narratives, financial backing of pro-Russian media projects, and systematic disinformation campaigns about Ukraine's religious landscape.

Key findings demonstrate the destructive consequences of this hybrid warfare: exacerbation of interfaith tensions leading to societal …

Religious Faith In The Context Of The Russian-Ukrainian War: Challenges And Risks, Olena Predko, Mykola Ptytsia

Occasional Papers on Religion in Eastern Europe

This article examines the role of religious faith in the context of the russian-Ukrainian war, its impact on society, and the challenges and risks faced by religious communities and believers. The study analyzes how the war brings the issue of religious faith-seeking to the forefront, its semantic nuances, and how it transforms religious identity and the level of religiosity among the population. Special attention is given to the use of religious faith in hybrid warfare, the issue of spiritual support for both military personnel and civilians, as well as the risks associated with the politicization of religious life. The article …

Ukrainian Orthodox Church Clerics And Activists Under Suspicion, Under Investigation, Sanctioned, Detained, And/Or Convicted For Collaboration With Russia Or For Promotion Of Russian War Narratives, Mark R. Elliott

Occasional Papers on Religion in Eastern Europe

The Context

On August 20, 2024, President Volodymyr Zelensky signed Bill #8371, “On the Protection of the Constitutional Order in the Sphere of Activity of Religious Organizations,” passed by the Verkhovna Rada, Ukraine’s legislature. As a measure of wartime national security its provisions include a ban on the staunchly pro-Putin Russian Orthodox Church. It also requires the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (UOC), historically subordinate to the Moscow Patriarchate, to sever all ties with its parent church and to prevent its congregations from abetting the Russian war effort against Ukraine.

The Canonical Status Of The Serbian Patriarch In The Statute Of The Macedonian Orthodox Church From 1960 And Its Differing Interpretations By The Two Churches, Ivan Yovchev

Occasional Papers on Religion in Eastern Europe

After lengthy negotiations that began in the 1940s between the Serbian Orthodox Church (SOC) and the Macedonian Orthodox Church (MOC) regarding the latter’s autocephaly, the Holy Synod of the SOC initially rejected the decisions of the Initiative Council for the formation of the Macedonian Church. However, at a later stage, the SOC revised its stance, and by 1959, it not only recognized the existence of the Macedonian Church but also granted it the right to independent organization and governance in the form of autonomy. The recognized autonomy of the MOC was met with mixed reactions among Macedonian church leaders. The …

The Bhagavad Gita And The Attitude Of Contemporary Ukrainian Krishna Devotees Towards The Issue Of War And Peace, Vitalii Matvieiev, Olga Dobrodum, Mykola Palinchak, Olena Hudzenko

Occasional Papers on Religion in Eastern Europe

The article deals with the main philosophical and ethical provisions of the Bhagavad-Gita, a sacred text, which is a part of the Indian epic Mahabharata. A special place is given to the issues related to life, death, fulfillment of duty, i.e., following one’s dharma, which should result in spiritual perfection and liberation from samsara (the cycle of death and birth). The central element of the Bhagavad-Gita is the discussion of the problems of war and peace, presented through the dialog between Prince Arjuna and the god Krishna on the battlefield of Kurukshetra. The authors of the article …

Introduction Of Clinical Pastoral Education In Ukraine: The Experience Of The Volyn Orthodox Theological Academy, Vladyslav Fulmes, Volodymyr Vakin, Oleksandr Khoroshko

Occasional Papers on Religion in Eastern Europe

Medical chaplaincy is an important component in many countries, as it helps to ensure a holistic approach to treatment, taking into account the spiritual needs of patients. The relevance of this direction was due to the invasion of russian troops on the territory of Ukraine back in 2014, and in the conditions of a full-scale war in Ukraine, the role of medical chaplaincy has increased significantly. This article reveals the experience of the Volyn Orthodox Theological Academy (Lutsk, Ukraine) in training medical chaplains, which was the first in Ukraine, responding to social challenges, in particular health care institutions, to develop …

Lutsk-Zhytomyr Roman Catholic Diocese During The First World War: Charitable And Socio-Political Activities, Olga Bilobrovets, Oleh Sokolovskyi

Occasional Papers on Religion in Eastern Europe

The activities of the Roman Catholic Church were an important factor in preserving and reviving the national identity of the Polish minority in Volyn under the conditions of the Russification and discriminatory policies of the Russian autocracy during the First World War. The Catholic clergy actively worked to aid the Polish population and refugees affected by the war. During the First World War, the Roman Catholic clergy of the Lutsk-Zhytomyr diocese, together with the majority of the Polish population in Ukraine, provided significant aid to war victims and refugees from the Kingdom of Poland and Galicia. Catholic churches collected funds …

The Russian-Ukrainian War In The Discourse Of The Biblical Concept Of A Just War, Vadym Dyiak, Klavdiia Tushko, Vladyslav Volobuiev

Occasional Papers on Religion in Eastern Europe

The article analyzes the russian-Ukrainian war through the prism of the biblical concept of a just war. The moral and ethical aspects of the war are explored based on biblical principles, such as the defense of truth, justice, and the innocent. The article compares traditional approaches to the concept of a just war with modern realities, including the russian aggression against Ukraine. Particular attention is paid to the right to self-defense, the role of moral precepts in warfare, and the importance of humanitarian norms. The analysis of biblical texts helps to better understand the ethical justification of war as a …

The Constantinople Council Of 1872 And The Imposing Of The Bulgarian Schism, Stoycho (Stefan) Staikov

Occasional Papers on Religion in Eastern Europe

The Revival of the Bulgarian people is closely connected with the publication of the Decree on February 27, 1870, which became the bearer of the people's desire and hope for the formation of a legal solution to the matter pertaining to the Bulgarian Church. The ecclesiastical rights of the Bulgarians, granted at first, nevertheless became the subject of claim and dispute between the newly established Exarchate and the Patriarch of Constantinople. A dispute in which the consistent policy of the Bulgarians, in defending the acquired rights and freedoms, supported by their notorious perseverance, played an important role in the struggle …

Good Neighbors Racial Healing Journey: Ministry Of The Good Neighbors Racial Healing Initiative, Rev. Cameron Duncan

Doctor of Ministry

NPO Statement: Christians of color struggle with forgiveness amid ongoing racial trauma, while White Christians often avoid engagement due to fear, hindering racial reconciliation efforts.

My doctoral project began as an exploration of healing and reconciliation within Christian communities but became a personal journey of confronting racial trauma. Initially, I did not see racial trauma as central to my work. However, at my first retreat at Cannon Beach, I was forced to reckon with the impact of microaggressions and systemic racism on my sense of self. Years in predominantly white spaces had left me with internalized messages that my …

Being The Beloved: Cultivating A Head To Heart Journey Of Identity For Emerging Adults In Ministry And Leadership, Jennifer Clark

Doctor of Ministry

NPO Statement

Emerging adults in ministry without a deepening awareness of being God’s beloved may struggle to flourish and lead in their given contexts.

Key Benefits

Being the Beloved: Cultivating a Head to Heart Journey of Identity for Emerging Adults in Leadership and Ministry is a curriculum created to ground emerging adults in the love of God as they transition into adulthood and emerge as the next generation of Church leaders. Developmental psychology labels emerging adulthood as a time of significant change, instability and transition, while having to navigate key life decisions regarding education, career, and relationships. Identity formation is …

Wilderness & Wonder: Creating Compassionate Spaces For Those Who Have Been Wounded And Forgotten By The Church, Tyler Dresbach

Doctor of Ministry

Harm caused by Fundamentalist Evangelicalism prevents individuals from re-engaging in a faith community, creating a need for compassionate spaces that foster healing and reconciliation. What is one supposed to do when the only group they have known to be a healing and life-giving community is the source of their hurt, disappointment, and confusion? Often, individuals disengage from the religious community and are left to navigate the complexities of life and faith on their own. Yet these individuals, while skeptical of the Church, have increasingly expressed a desire to reengage with a faith community—but if not within the formal structures of …

Rehydrating The Church: The Lifegiving Role Of The Holy Spirit In Christian Formation, Ministry, Leadership, And Community, Rand Burden

Doctor of Ministry

NPO Statement

Many small rural Global Methodist Church (GMC) congregations have limited access to pastors and, as such, are in critical need of alternative forms of spiritual leadership.

Key Insights

Life in the Spirit must precede spiritual leadership. The church desperately needs members and leaders living lives led by, walking after, and informed by the Spirit. It is my conviction that with an increased awareness of the Spirit, a desire for intimacy will arise, a drawing to wade into the Water of Life, to be more open to desire and experience a deeper encounter with and understanding of the Holy …

Remain: Holistic Transformation For Spiritually And Developmentally Mature Global Ministry Leaders In Late Midlife, Nicole Paschall

Doctor of Ministry

Few resources cater to the unique needs of seasoned global ministry leaders, fostering the holistic spiritual and personal growth essential for ongoing Kingdom impact. Through research and practice, this project identified a significant gap in addressing the whole person— spiritually, emotionally, mentally, and physically—during the later stages of ministry and leadership. Insights from stakeholders and participants revealed the importance of integrating spiritual formation, adult psychological truths, and leadership development within a contextual and supportive environment. These elements provide the transformative opportunities later midlife leaders need to sustain growth and deepen their Kingdom contribution.

The ministry context focuses on global workers …

Blessed Are The Single Ladies: How Marriage Normative Preaching Harms Single Women, Jamie Fiorino

Doctor of Ministry

Through the preaching of marriage normativity, pastors inadvertently dismiss the lived experience of single women and, consequently, prevent their faith life from flourishing.

The platform for my campaign of awareness regarding marriage normativity in the Church begins with a website, www.blessedarethesingleladies.com. This eighteen-page website rationalizes and illustrates how preaching a message that marriage is expected harms single women by creating a culture of shame, insecurity, and jealousy. I have included theological and scriptural best practices, six first-person stories from women, and next steps for church transformation. To extend the campaign into spaces my audience may use, the BATSL project …

Beloved Elder: The Spiritual Journey Of Aging, Elizabeth Nielsen

Doctor of Ministry

Aging has changed significantly in recent decades due to medical, economic, and social factors. The increasing length of American lives is both a blessing and a challenge for families and elders themselves, but our cultural and theological foundations are not sufficient to address this situation.

My NPO emerged from pastoral experience caring for elders: Aging Christians often struggle to know the presence and love of God finding their faith practices to be inadequate for the distinctive challenges of aging.

Key insights from my research include:

1. The most significant challenge of aging is surrender to childlikeness before God. In late life …

Wholehearted Leadership: Equipping Clergy For Healthy Leadership, Nicole Mcclurg

Doctor of Ministry

NPO Statement: Considering current training for Evangelical clergy, sustained attention to spiritual formation is often missing but essential for pastoral health and healthy, sustainable ministry.

Clergy are burning out significantly, as reported by a Lifeway Research Poll that found 100% of 1,500 pastors know colleagues that left the ministry, while 91% of pastors report experiencing burnout.¹ The research suggests that seminary does not prepare clergy for the demands of ministry or the practical spiritual needs of their congregations. Clergy struggle to maintain a solid vocational identity rooted in the Trinity amid pastoral duties. Many clergy are isolated from ongoing …

Biblical Women Reimagined A Devotional Where Women's Voices Are Heard, Natalie Karlson

Doctor of Ministry

The vocational context of this project portfolio is a small spiritual direction practice found in central Massachusetts. The directees are women who attend or have left the evangelical church for distinct reasons. One of the key issues that these women face is the dismissal or minimization of their voices. Leaders stopped these women from using their voices. The women could not ask questions, share their experiences, or make decisions about their spiritual journeys. Considering the context and stakeholder feedback, the NPO: the dismissal of women’s voices denies the evangelical church the complete revelation of God’s work among humans.

Four key …

The Soul Journey: A Response To The Evangelical Exodus, Jerome T. Daley Jr.

Doctor of Ministry

NPO Statement

Many leaving the white American Evangelical Church still long for spiritual connection but lack a “container” for pursuing formation and community.

Key Insights

Most of those caught in the Evangelical Exodus still love Jesus but have been injured by one or more of these particular malformations in the organized church: 1) political entanglement, 2) power mismanagement, 3) flawed theological narratives, 4) cultural exclusion, 5) and social justice neglect. They find themselves spiritually homeless and invisible, retaining vague yearnings for deeper connection yet emotionally exhausted by the trauma of leaving Church. My most compelling insight was that the organized …

Seven Portals Of Feminine Formation: Reclaiming The Wisdom Of The Gnostics, Kellie Wilder Daley

Doctor of Ministry

NPO Statement

Women with spiritual hunger have lost connection with their feminine goodness, their voice, and their embodied presence due to cultural and religious patriarchy.

Key Insights

The resilience of women is evident in the fact that we have endured so long within the Fundamentalist Evangelical Church—a space that is often hostile, if not outright misogynistic. Women have been conditioned to remain silent, accepting the idea, as John Piper put it, that “masculine Christianity” is God’s original design. However, normalizing Christianity as exclusively masculine creates deep harm and imbalance across spiritual, social, and psychological spheres. This dynamic establishes a rigid …

Unmoored: Answering Social Upheaval And Historical Forgetfulness, Carl Creasman

Doctor of Ministry

There is a societal upheaval evidenced by a rise of Christian nationalism, deconstruction from the Christian faith, and a general lack of flourishing engulfing the nation, like an unmanned boat adrift at sea, unmoored from safe harbor. Both Christians and non-Christians can sense the danger of rough seas, perhaps even rugged shoals that could irreparably ruin the craft, our nation. As a College Professor, I have both seen and heard the concern about future, both one’s own personal future and that of the larger civic national structure. We have arrived here as a nation because the historical concepts and principles …

Inspire Leadership Transitions: Helping Non-Denominational Churches Navigate Senior Leadership Transitions, Andrew Heard

Doctor of Ministry

Inspire Leadership Transitions is a digital platform designed to assist senior pastors, church leaders, and churches in navigating the complexities of senior leadership transitions, particularly within non-denominational churches. At its core is a free online transition course that blends biblical wisdom with research-driven insights, offering a strategic, accessible, and spiritually grounded approach to leadership transitions. This project responds to the critical need for effective transition planning as senior pastors age, and churches face a growing leadership crisis. Research shows that most transitions occur without a strategic plan, leading to challenges that could otherwise be avoided. While denominational churches often have …

Equip Life On Purpose, Michael T. Morgan

Doctor of Ministry

The Big Top of Bel Air Church is a breathtaking space where God’s grand story unfolds, yet it has struggled to provide a unified biblical framework for discipleship. The problem, as outlined in my NPO statement, is that the Church lacks an agreed-upon common biblical framework needed to constructively engage the work God has entrusted the Church to do, resulting in silence, spiritual immaturity, and disunity. Political partisanship, fear, and a lack of relational and spiritual maturity have further strained the ability of believers to grow together in Christ.

A key insight emerged through extensive research: the Church’s struggle is …

M3: Intensive Seminars For Advancing Microchurch Methodology And Ministry, Rick Delatorre

Doctor of Ministry

NPO: The Microchurch ministry model has the capacity to enhance discipleship and cultural engagement for the Western Church in the 21st century.

The status of the Christian Church in the United States is in crisis. The traditional church in the West has declined. Church attendance is dropping, membership is shrinking, and younger generations are leaving. The data from multiple sources only confirmed my observations from decades of pastoral ministry.

My research into this phenomenon began as an exploration of the Western Church’s endeavors to fulfill the commission of Christ in discipleship. This exploration resulted in a research journey that led …

Whole Broken People Wholeness Of Life At All Ages, Brenda K. Lewis

Doctor of Ministry

NPO Statement

Experiences of lost independence or control overwhelm or block the spiritual coping mechanisms of some Independent Living residents at Givens Estates.

Key Research Insights

Deep cultural bias, denial, and a lack of realistic role models form blocks between us and healthy coping with the realities of aging. When we lose independence and control, we often lose our expected storyline, our sense of our identity, and our understanding of the role of our spiritual traditions. The Christian tradition offers rich resources for redefining our story and ourselves in ways that deepen our faith and our connection with the people …

The Hospitality Challenge: Recovering A Biblical Method For Discipling Busy People, Kristopher Clifford

Doctor of Ministry

How can the church effectively disciple career-driven, community-involved, and weekend-traveling individuals? This question shaped the focus of my doctoral project, which explores Christian hospitality as an experiential and flexible approach to discipleship. Traditional, program-based models of discipleship often fail to engage busy individuals because they rely on attendance and intellectual learning rather than practices integrated into everyday life. In contrast, hospitality, modeled by Jesus and the early church, emerges as a transformative and scripturally-rooted method of discipleship that is flexible for busy people, practical in nature, and effective in fostering life transformation.

In my ministry context at Columbia Baptist Church, …

Reimagining The Role Of Women In The Church Of Tomorrow, Adam Harbaugh

Doctor of Ministry

The need for "Reimagining the Role of Women in the Church of Tomorrow" has come from my experience serving as a Pastor in two non-denominational churches in Mid-Michigan over the last seventeen years (approximately 15 years in Saginaw, 2 years in Frankenmuth). In Saginaw, it became clear the advancement of the Kingdom was limited when women were not eligible to act on their spiritual gifts within the leadership hierarchy of the church. Practically, this meant women were not allowed to serve as Pastors, Elders, or preachers/teachers to the congregation at-large. Attempts from myself and others to illuminate the ways this …

Strategies Of Religious Communication Of The Seventh-Day Adventist Church In The Context Of Russia’S War Against Ukraine, Valentyna Kuryliak Dr

Occasional Papers on Religion in Eastern Europe

Abstract. The article examines the strategies of religious communication employed by the Seventh-day Adventist Church (SDA) in the context of the Russia-Ukraine war. It discusses the transformation of approaches to religious activity through media platforms, particularly the “Nadiya” TV channel, which adapted its content to meet the audience's needs during the war. The article emphasizes the issue that while Adventist media typically maintain a neutral stance and refrain from commenting on military actions, they cannot remain detached from the realities of a society living in a state of war. The role of the “Nadiya” TV channel in providing psychological and …

Exchange Of Uoc-Mp Priests For Prisoners Of War In The Context Of National Security And Religious Relations, Liudmyla Shtanko, Igor Makarenko

Occasional Papers on Religion in Eastern Europe

The exchange of UOC-MP priests for prisoners of war is a complex and multifaceted issue encompassing political, humanitarian, and religious dimensions, which have become particularly relevant in the context of Russia’s war against Ukraine. On the one hand, the exchange of priests can be viewed as a humanitarian act aimed at liberating captured soldiers; on the other hand, it serves as a political maneuver that provokes conflicting sentiments among citizens and religious communities. Considering the situation with prisoners of war, Ukraine sought effective methods to secure the return of its citizens, including through the mechanism of exchanging UOC-MP priests. Although …

Analysis Of The Causes And Circumstances Of The Arrests Of Priests Of The Ukrainian Orthodox Church Of The Moscow Patriarchate, Iryna Steshyts, Volodymyr Suhoniak

Occasional Papers on Religion in Eastern Europe

The analysis of the reasons and circumstances of the detentions of priests from the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the Moscow Patriarchate (UOC MP) in the context of the military conflict shows that these events are a result of the interplay between the threat to Ukraine's national security, violations of religious and civil rights, and external political aspects of the war with Russia. The detentions of UOC MP priests occur due to public calls for cooperation with the occupation forces, the spread of pro-Russian propaganda, the justification of Russian aggression, illegal possession of weapons and ammunition, as well as espionage activities. …