ESCHATOLOGICAL BELIEFS OF SEVENTH-DAY ADVENTISTS IN UKRAINE IN THE 21ST CENTURY: AN ANALYSIS OF EMPIRICAL DATA

Abstract

This article presents an analysis of the eschatological beliefs held by members of the Seventh-day Adventist Church in Ukraine in the 21st century, based on empirical data. The primary aim of the study is to examine whether and how the expectation of the Second Coming of Christ is maintained or transformed in the context of contemporary global events, particularly the COVID-19 pandemic, socio-political instability, and the war in Ukraine. The object of the study is the Seventh-day Adventist Church’s doctrine of the Second Coming, while the subject is the level of expectation among church members from 2000 to 2025. A total of 66 respondents participated in the survey, grouped into six categories according to their length of church membership. The methodology involved a questionnaire designed to identify shifts in the perception of “signs of the times” related to biblical prophecies. The findings reveal a correlation between awareness of global developments (e.g., the encyclicals Laudato Si’ and Dies Domini, COVID-19, and the war in Ukraine) and an increased intensity of eschatological expectation. Specifically, 65.2 % of respondents view the full-scale war in Ukraine as evidence of the nearness of the Second Coming, while 44 % reported that the pandemic altered their understanding of biblical prophecy. The study found that personal experience, duration of church membership, and general awareness significantly influence the interpretation of world events as prophetic signs. The research highlights the relevance of further exploration of religious consciousness in times of crisis and underscores the importance of understanding the socio-cultural factors that shape spiritual expectations. Based on the statistical data collected, it can be concluded that the Seventh-day Adventist Church in Ukraine consistently upholds its doctrinal belief in the Second Coming of Christ. However, global socio-economic and political developments do affect the intensity of this expectation. Perceptions of these events vary depending on the individual’s time within the church, yet the overall trend shows a growing hope among believers for the imminent fulfillment of biblical prophecies.