03/07/2026 10:10 - 12:20

HALL: Pola - Aula Magna

Contact: Stoeckl K.

Chair: Casanova J.

The ongoing war in Ukraine has profoundly reshaped the religious landscape of Eastern Christianity, bringing long-standing ecclesial tensions into the open while generating new theological, institutional, and geopolitical challenges. The Orthodox Church of Ukraine (OCU), the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (UOC), and the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church (UGCC) have each been compelled to respond to questions of war and peace, national sovereignty, ecclesial authority, and transnational Orthodoxy. These responses have not only deepened internal crises but have also raised broader questions about the future of Orthodoxy as a global religious tradition.
This panel brings together representatives of Ukrainian churches alongside independent scholars and public intellectuals working on Ukrainian Christianity to engage in a rare, dialogical conversation across ecclesial, confessional, and analytical perspectives. Rather than focusing solely on conflict and fragmentation, the panel aims to explore pathways out of the current crisis: theological resources for reconciliation, institutional reforms, and models of inter-church engagement that could contribute to a renewed vision of Orthodox Christianity in Ukraine.
By situating the Ukrainian case within wider debates about global Orthodoxy, the panel seeks to move beyond diagnosis toward constructive reflection. The discussion will address not only the immediate Ukrainian context but also the implications for Orthodox Christianity worldwide, including its relationship to democracy, human rights, and interreligious coexistence. This panel is part of the POLISMOD (2026-31, PI Kristina Stoeckl) project launch.