ORTHODOX MEDIA AND THE WAR IN UKRAINE: COMPETING RELIGIOUS NARRATIVES OF PEACE AND JUSTICE

Abstract

The Russian-Ukrainian war has become not only a military-political, but also a value-based challenge for Ukrainian society and religious institutions. In this context, the representation of the war in the Orthodox media is significant, as it shapes the public perception of events, defines the boundaries of moral discourse, and reflects deep theological guidelines. The article analyses two main narratives in the official communications of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (Moscow Patriarchate) and the Orthodox Church of Ukraine. The UOC (MP) is characterised by a rhetoric of peace and reconciliation, based on the ideals of all-forgiveness and “supranational unity” of believers. Still, this position is often accompanied by a failure to address the issue of justice and responsibility of the aggressor. Instead, the OCU has built a value-based discourse centred on just defence, a combination of patriotism with evangelical love of neighbour, and an emphasis on truth as a condition for true peace. The article traces how these two axiological paradigms shape public resonance, influence church trust, and correlate with broader European humanistic principles. The theoretical framework combines approaches from the philosophy of religion and political theology and materials from official statements, church media publications, and journalistic sources. The study demonstrates that Orthodox media in Ukraine have become a space for the struggle of two alternative models of theological legitimation of war: pacifist, which emphasises peace at any cost, and patriotic-theological, which treats defence as morally justified and sanctified by truth. The Ukrainian case demonstrates that war becomes a catalyst for the renewal of Orthodox social thought and a factor that outlines the prospects for Ukraine’s European integration by affirming the principles of dignity, freedom, and justice.