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…
Faith communities called to help rescue abducted Ukrainian children
People and institutions of faith are needed in the effort to rescue Ukrainian children forcibly taken by invading Russian forces from their homes and families, child advocates say. “Religious groups need to understand their power and to know the significant…
Orthodox archbishop apologizes to anyone pained by his meeting with Putin
An Orthodox archbishop who exchanged friendly greetings and gifts with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska has apologized to “those who have experienced pain, suffering, or confusion because of my actions.”
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…
Pope has phone call with Putin same day Trump does
As tensions between Russia and Ukraine continue to escalate despite international efforts to broker a ceasefire, Pope Leo XIV Wednesday afternoon had a phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Why a Democracy Advocate in Putin’s Russia Didn’t Fear Death
He lives to trouble Vladimir Putin, the authoritarian strongman of Russia who may have had the advocate for democracy killed a little more than a year ago and who definitely had him poisoned before that.
Putin’s asset
Stories matter. Narratives rule the day in this era of social media and the 24-hour news cycle. Here’s a narrative that often gets lost in the daily breaking news. It must have started in November 2013, when the future president’s…
7 lies Trump is telling about Ukraine
In an unparalleled abandonment of decades of American foreign policy, President Donald Trump has sided with Russian President Vladimir Putin against Ukraine. Trump says, “Think of it, a modestly successful comedian, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, talked the United States of America into…
Evangelical supporters silent — again — as Trump rewrites Ukrainian history
Evangelical leaders did not jump to President Donald Trump’s defense when he declared Feb. 19 Ukraine provoked Russia’s invasion and ought to accede to Vladimir Putin. His most ardent evangelical supporters were mysteriously silent, and evangelical leaders who have called…
Authentic patriotism
Recently, my wife and I were glued to the TV, watching the return of the three U.S. citizens who had been falsely imprisoned in Russia. The hour was late, but we couldn’t pull ourselves away. It was a truly rare…
What grownups know
“My mom’s the greatest!” Those are fighting words to many a child: “Oh yeah, well MY MOM’S the greatest!” An adult, on the other hand, likely smiles and says, “Yep, mine too.” Adults do nuance, and this includes adults who…