Ukrainian Orthodoxy		Orthodoxie ukrainienne

Orthodox Churches in Communion

Question:

In surfing through various websites which include the words "Orthodox" or "Orthodox Church," I have come to realize that not all those which call themselves by this name are necessarily in communion with all the others.  What makes the difference, and with which are the Ukrainian Orthodox in communion?

Answer:

Very Reverend Ihor Kutash kutash@unicorne.org

This is a complex matter. 

Here is a link to a website that is updated monthly by the St. John of Damascus Institue of Theology of the University of Balamand: http://www.balamand.edu.lb/theology/links.htm.  These are the Orthodox Churches that are in communion with each other.

However if you had checked it prior to April 1, 1990, you would not have found our Ukrainian Orthodox Church of Canada in this list, for it was only then that our Church succeeded in achieving communion with the rest of the Orthodox family.

Some of the other communities or folks who refer to themselves as "Orthodox" may be in the process of entering that communion as we were for many years.  Some appear on the other hand to be far away from it.  In certain cases this is because they view themselves as the only "true" representatives of Orthodox Christianity while the others are perceived as fallen away, usually due to what they call the "pan-heresy of modernism" which includes celebration of immovable feastdays according to the Modified Julian (identical with the Gregorian) Calendar.  In some cases it appears that at least a few of these communities (not, however, those who hold to the "traditionalist" or ultra-conservative position) hold theological views that could be termed esoteric or gnostic and therefore the term "Orthodox" is quite inaccurate.

I should also note, particularly with regard to the Ukrainian Orthodox communions, that all is not quite as it seems.  As regards canonicity we are in communion with the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (UOCMP) which is in the jurisdiction of the Patriarchate of Moscow, but we are much more in sympathy with the other two branches of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church - the Kyivan Patriarchate (UOCKP) and the Ukrainian Autocephalous Orthodox Church (UAOC) which although as yet separate from each other, nonetheless hold a view common to ours, i.e. that the Church of Ukraine ought to be one, in communion with world Orthodoxy and headed by its own canonically elected Patriarch rather than dependent upon the Patriarch of another Orthodox Church.  We find it particularly tragic that the Church of Ukraine should be dependent upon Moscow which has pursued or supported a policy of subjugation and assimilation quite in keeping with the politics of colonialism and imperialism but not in the interests of the people of Ukraine.

Alas it seems that we can not really separate politics from spirituality - for the Church, eternal and invincible, is also part of this terrestrial reality where the effects of sin are still sadly apparent and must be dealt with humbly but also firmly.

We rejoice in the Lord's victory over sin and alienation which makes it possible for us to love, forgive and pray for and with those who do not easily appear to us to be acceptable and loveable.

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