The Third Anniversary of the War: Spiritual Challenges and Theological Responses – Reflections of the Rector of the Tavriski Christian Institute
As we reflect on the three-year period of full-scale war, we must recognize that it has changed us, our families, our country, and our churches.
Many of us have lost loved ones – at the frontline or during nighttime attacks on peaceful Ukrainian cities. We faced forced emigration and the loss of our homes. The war brought pain, uncertainty, and disappointment. And today we face new challenges related to political instability, security issues and social fatigue.
But the war has also forced us to ask deep theological questions. How do we, as the church of Christ, reflect on these three years? What spiritual lessons have we learned? What answers can we give to the challenges that Ukrainian theological thought has never faced before?
Escape or resistance?
One of the first theological questions that Christians faced was: escape or resistance? To stay under occupation or to leave? Resist or seek safety?
This question is not new. Even in the early church, Tertullian wondered whether it was possible to flee persecution or whether one should stay and suffer with the church. Modern warfare forces us to rethink these questions. Is running away an escape from responsibility? Can it be a wise choice?
Origen, speaking about the participation of Christians in war, spoke about the power of prayer, which is more powerful than weapons. But today we see chaplains serving in the Armed Forces and pastors who have taken up arms. The church in Ukraine needs its own Tertullians and Origen, who will be able to formulate a theological response to these challenges.
Unity or division?
The war has brought not only pain but also new divisions. Ukrainian society today is divided in its views on mobilization, corruption, language and patriotism.
How can the church become a voice of reconciliation without losing the truth? How can we talk about unity when society is split? Neither politicians nor the military can provide answers to these questions. This is a challenge for theologians, church ministers, and seminaries.
Pacifism or militarism?
Can a Christian take up arms? Is war always evil or can it be just?
Today, we see pastors in the Armed Forces and chaplains at the front, as well as pastors who are inclined to pacifism. This question divides even Christians, but it needs to be answered. If today many people avoid this topic, after the war we will not be able to keep it silent.
Help or dependence?
At the beginning of the war, Ukraine was flooded with humanitarian organizations. Their help was critically important. But what comes next? How can we, as a church, learn to help ourselves and not live in constant dependence?
History knows of nations that revived after the war and those that remained dependent on aid. What will be our path?
Does prayer work?
Recent sociological surveys show that Ukrainians are losing their faith. Some say that prayer doesn’t work, while others, on the contrary, testify that God is with us.
Does this mean that we have been praying wrong? Is prayer only about a miracle, or is it also about perseverance and strength of spirit? How do we combine prayer with action?
Faith and doubt
The war has actualized important theological questions:
– How to combine faith and doubt?
– Where is God in suffering?
– Is it possible to talk about hope in the midst of ruins?
– What does resurrection mean in the context of death?
These are the questions that each of us faces. And we must find answers to them not only in academic classrooms, but also in real life – in hospitals, in the trenches, and among those who have lost everything.
A call to prayer
Dear brothers and sisters! The war has raised many questions for us. Some of them are being addressed by the Armed Forces of Ukraine, and others by the church, seminaries and theologians.
Today I call you to prayer:
– For our military – those who protect us;
– for those who live in occupation – in fear and danger;
– for those who are working on the spiritual challenges facing our nation.
Let us pray not only for victory in the war, but also for victory in the hearts of people. So that after this war we do not become a nation torn apart by hatred. That we learn to live not only in struggle but also in reconciliation.
Because, after all, our battle is not only for territory, but also for souls.
With prayer for our country and the people of Ukraine.
