Religion and the Russian-Ukrainian War

Kharkiv’s Freedom Square after the Russian missile attack (2 March 2022).

On 24 February 2022, Russia launched an attack on Ukraine resulting in thousands killed, destruction of Ukrainian cities, and millions of forced displaced persons. Putin’s invasion has become a new part of a bloody tragedy started in 2014 with Russia’s annexation of Crimea and the inflammation of the war in Eastern Ukraine.

The religious component of this conflict has manifested itself in a variety of aspects: from religious justification and rhetoric employed by Russian president Vladimir Putin, to the perception of the war by Russian and Ukrainian Orthodox churches, to the dramatic situation with religious freedom in the territories under Russia and its proxies’ control. These and other issues are discussed in this series.

Posts in the Series:

Dmytro Vovk. Religion and the Russian-Ukrainian Conflict

Elizaveta Gaufman. Religion, the Russian-Ukrainian War, and Social Media

Regina Elsner. The End of Unity: How the Russian Orthodox Church Lost Ukraine

Andriy Fert. Pray Against Foreign Invasion or Pray for Peace? Ukrainian Orthodox Churches and the Russian-Ukrainian War

Stanislav Panin. Reactions of Russian Religious Minorities on the Aggression Against Ukraine

Andrea Pin. The Madness of War and the Weapons of the Spirit: The Catholic Church and Peace for Ukraine

Kristina Stoeckl. The Use of Religious Arguments for the Justification of the Russian Invasion of Ukraine

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Desmond Mpilo Tutu: In Memoriam

Desmond Mpilo Tutu (1931–2021) / Photo Courtesy by Kristen Opalinski

The series contains tributes to Archbishop Desmond Tutu who recently passed away. The posts commemorate Tutu’s life-long efforts to promote peace, reconciliation, and human dignity and reflect on his legacy as a theologian and human rights advocate.

Posts in the Series:

Christine Venter. Archbishop Tutu and the People Left in the Dust

Greg Marcar. Being (W)holy Selfish with Desmond Tutu

Lee-Shae Salma Scharnick Udemans. Religious Privilege and Intolerance: Unveiling the Rainbow Nation

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The First Annual Forum on Law and Religion of the Southern Cone: Remarks from Speakers and Panelists

The First Annual Forum on Law and Religion of the Southern Cone, “Human Dignity and Religious Freedom,” was held in Santiago, Chile, 28–29 October 2021. Of particular focus was the preservation and protection of freedom of religion or belief in light of Chile’s anticipated constitutional reforms. The forum was sponsored by BYU’s International Center for Law and Religion Studies, the Chilean government’s National Office of Religious Affairs, and the Center for Law and Religion at Pontifical Catholic University of Chile. It included participants from Argentina, Chile, Paraguay, Uruguay, and the United States. Below are links to select forum remarks, available in both Spanish and English.

El Primer Foro Anual de Derecho y Religión del Cono Sur, “Dignidad Humana y Libertad Religiosa,” tuvo lugar en Santiago, Chile, el 28 y 29 de octubre de 2021. El foco particular fue la preservación y la protección de la libertad de religión o creencia a la luz de las reformas anticipadas a la constitución de Chile. El foro fue organizado por el Centro de Estudios de Derecho y Religión de la Universidad Brigham Young, la Oficina Nacional de Asuntos Religiosos del Gobierno de Chile, y el Centro de Derecho y Religión de la Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile. Incluyó participantes de Argentina, Chile, Paraguay, Uruguay, y los Estados Unidos. Abajo son hiperenlaces a unas presentaciones seleccionadas, en inglés y en español.

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