THE CONTRIBUTION OF PROTESTANT COMMUNITIES TO THE CONSOLIDATION OF POLITICAL INDEPENDENCE AND THE PROTECTION OF UKRAINE’S NATIONAL INTERESTS (1991–2026)

Abstract

This article provides a comprehensive analysis of the evolution of the socio-political role of Protestant communities in Ukraine during the period from 1991 to 2026. It traces the transformation of Ukrainian Protestantism from a marginalized religious subculture under the Soviet system into an influential institution of civil society that has become an active actor in defending national interests, democratic values, and state sovereignty. The study reconstructs the historical context of Protestant dissent in the Ukrainian SSR, particularly the activities of the “Initiators” movement and the human rights mission of Georgi Vins, which laid the foundation for a Protestant culture of civic responsibility, resistance to totalitarianism, and the defense of freedom of conscience. It demonstrates how this historical experience was reinterpreted in the post-Soviet period and became an important resource for social mobilization. Special attention is given to the theological transformation of the Protestant worldview, namely the shift from traditional pacifism toward the concept of “just defense”, which emerged under the influence of the Revolution of Dignity and the full-scale military aggression of the Russian Federation against Ukraine. The article analyzes the phenomenon of the “Theology of Maidan” as a form of contextual theology integrating Christian ethical principles with the realities of national liberation struggle. It also examines religious volunteering and military chaplaincy as new institutionalized forms of Protestant ministry under wartime conditions. A separate section explores the strategic significance of “spiritual diplomacy” and international advocacy for Ukraine through global Protestant and evangelical networks. The study highlights mechanisms of cooperation with conservative religious circles in the United States and discusses the importance of the accession of the Council of Evangelical Protestant Churches of Ukraine to the European Evangelical Alliance in 2025 as a step toward the institutional consolidation of the Ukrainian voice within the European religious space