Council of Evangelical Protestant Churches of Ukraine Against Involvement of Churches in Politics

KYIV – On April 21, 2010, the Council of Evangelical Protestant Churches of Ukraine (CEPCU) published a statement expressing its position on the role of the church in the society and on its attitude about politics. In this document, the heads of the Protestant churches expressed concern over the fact that certain politicians attempted to use the authority of the council and the Evangelical Protestant churches for their own political interests, reports the Institute of Religious Freedom.

"It is unacceptable when during religious services, meetings with local religious figures, and in their reports for mass media politicians or other outsiders state that they act on behalf of the Council of Evangelical Protestant Churches of Ukraine as an inter-church institution or abstractly state the support of their political projects by the largest Evangelical Protestant Associations by which they actually deceive the believers and the whole society," reads the statement of the council.

The document says: "The church as a spiritual institution of the civic society is called to be the conscience of the nation and defend high moral standards without resorting to political activity which is prohibited by the Law of Ukraine."

The leaders of the Protestant churches also stated: "Neither in the format of CEPCU nor individually did we authorize any person or political movement to represent us or give support to any person or political movement."

"Church services and pastoral cathedras should not be places of agitation but serve to meet the needs of the believers of various political views.”

The statement was unanimously passed at the session of the Council of Evangelical Protestant Churches of Ukraine in Kyiv.