THE CRISIS OF GLOBAL ORTHODOXY IN THE POST-SECULAR AGE: THE UKRAINIAN CONTEXT
Keywords:
Ukrainian Orthodoxy, global Orthodoxy, post-secularity, ideology, geopolitics, Orthodox Church of Ukraine, Ukrainian Orthodox Church, fundamentalism, conservatism, democracy, authoritarianism, common good, religious identityAbstract
The article offers a socio-philosophical analysis of the current state of Orthodoxy within the context of the post- secular era and the global crisis of democracy. It argues that the conflict between Ukrainian Orthodox jurisdictions is not merely an internal ecclesiastical dispute but a reflection of broader civilizational tensions – between democracy and authoritarianism, globalism and traditionalism, modernity and post-modernity. Drawing on Jürgen Habermas’s concept of the post-secular society and Charles Taylor’s idea of the secular age, the author shows how religious narratives have returned to the public sphere, influencing political legitimacy and cultural self-understanding. Using the theological insights of Carl Schmitt, John Milbank and Cyril Hovorun, the study highlights the theological foundations of modern ideologies and explores the systemic crisis of world Orthodoxy, marked by schisms, ethnophyletism, politicization and fundamentalism. The Ukrainian case is presented as a condensed reflection of this global crisis, where three models of Orthodox conservatism – open, closed and imperial-fundamentalist – collide. The paper concludes that overcoming division requires the elaboration of a modern social doctrine and a theology of dialogue capable of reconciling church and society. Ukrainian Orthodoxy is seen as a potential source of spiritual unity and civic maturity, provided it integrates the principles of freedom, dignity and the common good into its theological and institutional life.
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