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'Russian world' ideology is anti-Christian, says theologian

01.08.2025, 18:25

The ideology of the “Russian world” not only distorts the Gospel message but also directly contradicts it. Therefore, the ideology of the “Russian world” promoted by the Russian Orthodox Church is anti-Christian.

The opinion expressed by Serhii Shumylo, Doctor of Theology and Candidate of Historical Sciences, on the YouTube channel Viche.

He argues that the concept of the “Russian world” does not align with the evangelical foundations of Christian doctrine.

According to Shumylo, these ideas are merely pagan constructs imposed on Christianity. He asserts, “They have nothing to do with Christianity.”

He identifies the creators of this ideology as individuals holding neo-fascist and occult views, with Patriarch Kirill actively endorsing these ideas.

“Dugin and other proponents of this ideology are openly associated with occult, neo-Nazi, and neo-fascist beliefs. In their youth, they were captivated by the works of Nazi and fascist ideologists from Germany and Italy, as well as various esoteric and occult authors. They have since reinterpreted and 'repackaged' these ideas under the guise of Orthodoxy, which the Moscow Patriarch Kirill Gundyaev readily accepts and promotes through the Russian Orthodox Church. However, all this has nothing to do with Christianity; in fact, it contradicts the Gospel and undermines the very foundations of Christian doctrine,” Shumylo emphasizes.

He further asserts, “If a teaching that contradicts the Gospel and the teachings of Christ is preached from the pulpit, then it is heresy.”

Additionally, Shumylo challenges the historical and theological claims of the myth of the “Third Rome,” which asserts that Moscow is the successor to the Roman and Byzantine empires.

“There is no such thing as a Third Rome, nor has there ever been. The territory of the Moscow principality or kingdom has never hosted the Roman Empire. These are artificial, far-fetched ideologies of unknown origin that lack any meaningful content,” he argues.

In his view, all concepts of a third or fourth Rome are 'artificial constructs', as such entities could never have existed.

“In my opinion, this is not an idea that characterizes Christianity. Rome was the capital of the Roman Empire, and there was only one Roman Empire. The Byzantine Empire was part of the broader Roman Empire, not a separate entity,” Dr. Serhii Shumylo concludes.

Watch the full video:

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