Law 8371 on the prohibition of the activities of religious organizations associated with the aggressor state in Ukraine is not a ban on the activities of the Church - it aims to prevent religion from being turned into a weapon.
This was stated by His Beatitude Sviatoslav during a meeting with the head of the cultural department of the German Embassy, Lisa Heike, on August 20 at his residence in Kyiv, as reported by the Information Department of the UGCC.
The main topic of the meeting was the religious situation in Ukraine during the war and the new Law 8371, which the Verkhovna Rada adopted on August 20, 2024.
His Beatitude Sviatoslav emphasized that Law 8371 “is not a ban on the Church, but means of protection from the danger of using religion as a weapon (”Weaponization of religion").” According to the Head of the UGCC, this law aims to protect the religious environment of Ukraine from the instrumentalization and militarization of religion, which has become characteristic of the activities of the Russian Orthodox Church in the context of war. It is worth noting that the term “weaponization of religion” is also used by the Synod of the Anglican Church, speaking about the dangers of the militarization of the Russian Orthodox Church.
According to the Head of the UGCC, the religious environment has become a target of Russian aggression. “The law applies to all religious organizations with governing centers in countries recognized by the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine as aggressors. Russia has used the Orthodoxy under its control as a tool of militarization, turning it into a neurotropic weapon,” said the head of the UGCC.
Another aspect of the new law, according to His Beatitude Sviatoslav, is protection against the ideology of the “Russian world”. The law provides for a response to the ideology of the Russian world in the same way European countries respond to the ideology of religious extremist groups such as the Islamic State.
During the meeting with Lisa Heike, His Beatitude Sviatoslav expressed surprise that the bill was adopted on this day, despite the fact that it had been discussed for over a year. He noted that although the members of the All-Ukrainian Council of Churches and Religious Organizations supported the basic principles of the bill, the Council was not involved in the final version of the bill.
The main principles supported by the AUCCRO include:
- cooperation and partnership between the state and churches
- absence of a state church and equality of all religious organizations
- non-interference of the state in church affairs
- the right and duty of the state to guarantee national security by responding to the possible instrumentalization of religious organizations by aggressor states.
His Beatitude Sviatoslav emphasized that although the law should protect religious freedom from manipulation, it is important to monitor its practical implementation. He also expressed concern over the possible negative consequences for religious communities and the importance of transparency and clarity in the application of the law.
The meeting of the Head of the UGCC with the head of the cultural department of the German Embassy was an opportunity to discuss legislative initiatives and the general challenges faced by religious communities in times of war.