Religion and Society in the East
The periodical of the Institute of Oriental Studies, Russian Academy of Sciences. ISSN 2542-1530
Issues
The Crisis in Relations Between the Constantinople and Moscow Patriarchates in the Context of World Politics of the XX – XXI centuries
Religiia i obshchestvo na Vostoke, Issue IV (2020), p. 26-66.
DOI: 10.31696/2542-1530-2020-4–26–66
The author analyses the main confessional and political aspects of the conflict between the two Patriarchates - of Constantinople and Moscow, which escalated in 2018–2019 in connection with the provision by Constantinople of autocephaly of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church. Attention is drawn to the increase in the religious (civilizational) factor in world politics and its use in modern international relations. The historical prerequisites of this conflict are named, such as the problem of Church autocephaly and the formation of national Churches, a change in world order at the beginning and at the end of the 20th century. Particular attention is paid to the claims of the Patriarchate of Constantinople in the Orthodox world, its persistent attempts to affirm their supremacy in relation to all other ancient and new Churches. A significant role in such a policy was played by the personalities of the heads of the Patriarchate of Constantinople in the 20th century. The sources of conflicts are shown between Constantinople and Moscow, in particular on the Ukrainian issue, and the attempts of both sides in the second half of the 20th century to improvement of relations. Attention is drawn to the relationship of the Cretan Council of several Orthodox Churches in 2016 and the subsequent decision of Constantinople on the autocephaly of the Ukrainian Church. The author reveals the sense of using religious issues by the UK and the USA in their policies of containing and weakening Russia. Thus, the crisis in relations between the two parts of the Oecumenical Church has not only a purely church (ecclesiological) significance, but has also become part of the process of transformation of the world system of international relations in the 21st century.
Keywords: Orthodox Church, Moscow Patriarchate, Patriarchate of Constantinople, Ukrainian Orthodox Church, autocephaly, national Church, Cretan Council, schism
Volume: 26-66
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