Juha Meriläinen, church historian at the University of Helsinki, has written a forthcoming book titled Putin’s Altar Boy. In it, he sounds a warning about the dangers of a church under the influence of the state. Patriarch Kiril, the head…
Orthodox Christian clergy’s visits with US officials draw accusations of Russian influence
A delegation of Orthodox Christian clergy and lobbyists met with Trump administration officials and members of Congress this week, igniting feuds among both U.S. Orthodox Christian and Republican groups amid accusations that the visitors were agents of Russian influence.
Beware the Anglo-Saxons! Why Russia likes to invoke a medieval tribe when talking about the West
A new, old specter is haunting the world: the bloodthirsty Anglo-Saxons. Well, that is what the Kremlin wants the world to believe.
When Putin’s in Town, Alaska’s Slavic Christians Keep Praying for Peace
About ten miles from where Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin met in Anchorage on Friday, a man speaking at New Chance Church didn’t even have to mention the presidents—or their countries—as he prayed for the ongoing talks.
These Russian clergy who said ‘no’ to Putin’s war in Ukraine are paying a price
In February 2022, as Russian tanks rolled across the Ukrainian border, a small group of Russian Orthodox Christian clergy did something extraordinary. They published an open letter calling for peace and an immediate ceasefire. Within days, nearly 300 clergy had…
The Russian Orthodox Church is a big loser in the Russian-Ukrainian war
On year later, the Russian–Ukrainian war has not created many winners. Everyone seems to have lost. The Ukrainian people have endured incredible suffering and destruction. Russian Ministry of Defense puts the number of casualties in the Russian army at thousands….
Putin needs to be taken down
Someone needs to take down Vladimir Putin. Last week’s brazen attack on a residential building in Dnipro, Ukraine, is only the latest in a year’s worth of horrifying atrocities set in motion by one man alone — Putin. And for…
Will the tragedy of Ukraine wake us up?
If you’re like me, you’ve spent the past month reading articles, listening to podcasts and devouring cable news in a desperate attempt to understand the horrors unfolding in Ukraine. My ignorance remains vast, but I’ve learned a lot about post-Soviet…
Christian nationalism in Russia
The religious angle of the war in Ukraine has been largely ignored by the generals, the journalists and the politicians. But the pastors, bishops and theologians of the Christian community around the world, especially the Orthodox, have found their voice….
As Putin bombs children, Russian Orthodox patriarch names the root of Ukraine’s sin: Gay Pride parades
While his president bombed children in Ukraine, the patriarch of the Russian Orthodox church used his March 6 Sunday sermon to name the real source of the war started by Russia against its neighbor: Gay pride parades. Patriarch Kirill preached…