An Objective Moral Analysis
Shortly after the invasion some 200 priests issued a public letter calling for the primates of the other, local Orthodox churches to meet in council to consider their two accusations against Patriarch Kirill:
“Kirill preaches the doctrine of the" Russian World", which deviates from the Orthodox teaching and should be condemned as heresy;
“Kirill has committed moral crimes, blessing the war against Ukraine and fully supporting the aggressive actions of Russian troops on the territory of Ukraine.”
Since, “the beginning of the war,” they say “Patriarch Kirill has repeatedly made public statements that contained actual support for the aggressive actions of the Russian Federation against Ukraine.”
The charge of “moral crimes” is not lightly made. From the first days of the invasion, the genocidal character of Russia's war in Ukraine has been there to be seen.
On February 24, 2022, Russian troops invaded the territory of the sovereign Ukrainian state without declaring war. The military aggression has been going on for more than a month. Russian troops are systematically destroying military infrastructure and residential areas, civilian enterprises, schools, hospitals, theaters, and so on. The Ukrainian economy is suffering heavy losses. But we are most saddened that thousands of civilians have already died during the war. The actions of the Russian army around Kharkiv, Chernihiv, Akhtyrka, Hostomel, Vorzel and especially Mariupol and Bucha have obvious signs of the genocide against the Ukrainian people and cause indignation around the world.
Unlike his Beatitude Metropolitan Onufriy (Primate of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church) who “on the first day of the war ... condemned the aggression of the Russian Federation against Ukraine” and called on Putin “to end the war” Patriarch Kirill instead “repeatedly made public statements” that actually “support[ed] ... the aggressive actions of the Russian Federation against Ukraine.”
The priests go on to describe the war as unjust according to the moral tradition of the Orthodox Church. In defense of their position, they quote The Basis of the Social Concept of the Orthodox Church published in 2000 by the Russian Orthodox Church. They go on to contrast this with how
...Patriarch Kirill (as well as numerous bishops and priests in Russia) directly violate the norms of the basic social concept. In particular, this document clearly states that the Church cannot provide assistance to the state and cooperate with it if the state is waging an aggressive external War (III, 8). Today, the actions of the Russian Federation against Ukraine are nothing more than aggressive foreign war. This fact is recognized by the entire international community. In particular, on March 2, 2022, 141 countries supported the UN General Assembly resolution condemning Russian aggression against Ukraine. But both Patriarch Kirill himself and numerous clergy in Russia continue to support the aggressive foreign policy of the Russian Federation. Consequently, the position of the Moscow Patriarchate regarding the war against Ukraine does not meet either the norms of Christian morality or even its own regulatory documents.
Over and above the unjust nature of the invasion under international law and its genocidal character, the letter points out how there is an abbrent theological component. Specifically, the “doctrine of the ‘Russian World’” an ideology personally “promoted ... by Patriarch Kirill for many years.”
The letter concludes by calling “on the Primates of the Local Orthodox Churches” to do the following:
“Clearly and unambiguously condemn the military aggression of the Russian Federation against Ukraine.
“Call on the president of the Russian Federation, V. Putin [to] immediately end the war and liberate all the occupied territories of sovereign Ukraine.
“Review the public statements of Patriarch Kirill of Moscow regarding the war against Ukraine and evaluate them in the light of the Holy Scriptures and the sacred tradition of the Church."
“Consider at the Pan-Orthodox level the doctrine of the ‘Russian World’, which for many years has been promoted by Patriarch Kirill and which has become one of the ideological justifications for the war of the Russian Federation against Ukraine, and give this doctrine an assessment from the point of view of orthodox teaching and in case of the condemnation of this doctrine, bring Patriarch Kirill to justice and deprive him of the right to hold the patriarchal throne.”
To condemn the consequences of war and to go on to work to mitigate the harm of a war is virtuous and ROCOR should be lauded for their actions. However, to condemn the war as evil without condemning, or even mentioning, its causes is to fall far short of what is required. Much like those Orthodox Christians who never tell us what they mean when they call for the Church to be more accepting of LGTBQ men and women or more compassionate in response to abortion, to condemn something as “evil” requires that we say why it is evil beyond the obvious harm.
I can understand why this might seem all rather niggly. But moral analysis requires more than a sound intuition. Especially in complex situations like war, it requires technical precision. That said, let me conclude by explaining why this kind is so.
To be continued…