# “Rescue the oppressed from the hand of the oppressor” (Jer. 22:3) The Message of the of the Synod of Bishops of the UGCC in Ukraine on War and Just Peace in the Context of New Ideologies

- Link: https://nweparchy.ca/2024/03/rescue-the-oppressed-from-the-hand-of-the-oppressor-jer-223-the-message-of-the-of-the-synod-of-bishops-of-the-ugcc-in-ukraine-on-war-and-just-p/
- Published: 2024-03-10T00:14:37-08:00
- Author: Website

«Rescue the oppressed from the hand of the oppressor» (Jer. 22:3)

**The Message**

**of the Synod of Bishops of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church in Ukraine**

**on War and Just Peace in the Context of New Ideologies**

_«Surely his salvation is near to those who fear him,_

_ that glory may dwell in our land__»_ (Psalm 85:10).

**Dear in Christ!**

[**UKR_Послання-Синоду-щодо-війни-та-справедливого-миру-у-світлі-нових-ідеологій**](https://abbotsford.nweparchy.ca/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/UKR_Послання-Синоду-щодо-війни-та-справедливого-миру-у-світлі-нових-ідеологій.docx)
[Download](https://abbotsford.nweparchy.ca/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/UKR_Послання-Синоду-щодо-війни-та-справедливого-миру-у-світлі-нових-ідеологій.docx)

# Introduction

 1. For ten years now, we have been living in war, and for two of those years, Ukraine
    has been plunged into the flames of a liberation war against a full-scale attack
    by the Russian aggressor. The time of war is extremely painful and cruel: it causes
    countless traumas to everyone and the whole society. Every day we receive tragic
    news about the deaths of Ukrainians; many have already lost their family members
    and friends; we are witnessing the destruction of what is most precious to us -
    our Homeland, our families’ well-being, our happiness, our dreams. In such circumstances,
    it is very understandable that a person is inclined to surrender to emotions: to
    plunge into despair and hopelessness, or to let hate reign in their soul. These
    feelings, despair, and hatred, enslave us and violate our dignity, which the Creator
    gave us. These sentiments of many Ukrainians are aptly expressed in the words of
    the psalmist David: «My soul also is greatly troubled. But you, O Lord, how long?»(
    Ps. 6:4); «How long shall my enemy be exalted over me? Consider and answer me, 
    O Lord, my God!» (Psalm 13:4). At the same time, a part of society is getting indifferent:
    some people who are affected by the war, perhaps less than many others, try not
    to notice it, as if to forget about it. This position can hide itself both as a
    psychological mechanism of self-defense and as a moral disease of indifference.
 2. First and foremost, we need to realize that winning the fight against such an insidious
    enemy requires perseverance. It has nothing in common with indifference or detachment
    from what the country and people live for. On the contrary, perseverance is always
    associated with activity, with a sacrificial love that is ready to serve for a 
    long period: «And let perseverance be perfect, so that you may be perfect and complete»(
    James 1:4). A short-term explosion of feelings or enthusiasm cannot  be sustained
    for a long distance rather that requires exhausting efforts. For this reason, Metropolitan
    Andrey Sheptytsky encouraged young people: «It is not by asingle minute’s disruptions,
    but only by constant struggle and unceasing sacrifices, even to the blood and death
    of many generations, that the nation moves forward»[[1]](https://nweparchy.ca/2024/03/rescue-the-oppressed-from-the-hand-of-the-oppressor-jer-223-the-message-of-the-of-the-synod-of-bishops-of-the-ugcc-in-ukraine-on-war-and-just-p/#_ftn1).
    This is very well realized by our defenders, who keep watch and restrain the aggressor
    every day, for many weeks and months. That is why we call on everyone to persevererance
    and to perform an active act of love, and with today’s appeal, we seek to present
    certain moral foundations and principles on which to build a lasting and just peace
    in our homeland.
 3. Such a clear comprehension of the moral and spiritual principles that guide our
    actions during the war and on which we will build our future after it ends and 
    the achievement of a just peace is essential to ensure that our persevering efforts
    are a purposeful movement toward the desired victory. Christianity in general, 
    and the social teaching of the Catholic Church in particular, has a long tradition
    of theological and philosophical thought on peace and war that is relevant to the
    current circumstances of our country. Thus, our goal is to share with Ukrainian
    society and all people of goodwill a relevant part of these treasures.
 4. The Russian war against Ukraine raises new challenges and problems for the many
    centuries of Christian tradition of understanding peace and war. On the international
    stage, we witness support for our country, but at the same time, we face a lack
    of understanding of the depth and the seriousness of the events and hope for an
    easy resolution of the conflict. Sometimes we hear too hasty calls for peace, which,
    unfortunately, is not always associated with a proper demand for justice. «They
    have healed the wound of my people lightly, saying, «Peace! Peace!» but there is
    no peace», the prophet Jeremiah calls to our conscience (Jer. 6:14). Therefore,
    the Christian doctrine of peace and war should be considered in the context of 
    the contemporary Ukrainian experience, so that it may bring us the desired fruit
    and illuminate our aspirations and efforts with the truth of the Gospel. This message
    is aimed, on the one hand, at assisting our people to become wiser and stronger
    by being enriched by the ancient Christian thought on peace and war, and, on the
    other hand, at contributing to a better comprehension by the international community
    of the challenges of our time and the place of Ukraine and Ukrainians on the spiritual
    map of the modern world.

 1. Causes and Origins of Russia’s Modern War Against Ukraine

 * It is impossible to comprehend the reasons for Russia’s war against Ukraine and
   to find the proper spiritual means for victory and a just peace without understanding
   the broader background of current events, without realizing the basic principles
   of social justice, both in social relations within each state governed by the
   law and in international relations and the foundations of international law. 
   The roots of what is occurring today date back to at least the last century, 
   or even much earlier. The twentieth century witnessed the emergence of totalitarian
   regimes in Europe, primarily in Germany and Russia, which caused terrible wars
   and numerous crimes against humanity. The main characteristic of totalitarianism
   is disregard for human freedom and dignity. In this sense, totalitarian regimes
   are forms of state formation that are called tyranny in the Christian intellectual
   tradition[[2]](https://nweparchy.ca/2024/03/rescue-the-oppressed-from-the-hand-of-the-oppressor-jer-223-the-message-of-the-of-the-synod-of-bishops-of-the-ugcc-in-ukraine-on-war-and-just-p/#_ftn2).
   Tyrants, as well as the struggle against them for freedom, have been known since
   the earliest times of human history, but in the totalitarianism of the twentieth
   century, tyranny has acquired unprecedented scales. First, in the struggle against
   freedom, totalitarianism used modern technical means that did not exist in the
   past (radio, cinema, modern weapons, means of mass systematic killing, such as
   gas chambers, etc.) These technical means ensured total control over the subjects
   and led to an unprecedented number of victims, reaching tens of millions. Secondly,
   totalitarianism began to monitor not only the social behavior of a human being
   but also the private sphere of his or her life. This is how it differs from another
   form of tyranny, authoritarianism. The latter still leaves a person a certain
   amount of personal space, provided that he or she is loyal to the government.
   Instead, totalitarian rulers seek to conquer the soul, and completely master 
   the human personality, the subject of a totalitarian state must adore his or 
   her tormentors. Totalitarianism has a pseudo-religious character: the tyrants
   of the twentieth century destroyed or repressed the Church because they competed
   with religion and wanted to replace the spiritual values of traditional religions
   with their own ideology.
 * As a result of the Second World War, one of the two main totalitarian monsters
   of the twentieth century, National Socialist Germany, was defeated. The Nazi 
   totalitarian ideology and its crimes were put on trial in Nuremberg. In the decades
   that followed, West Germany went through a difficult and painful process of purification
   and became a democratic state. In contrast, the second totalitarian monster, 
   the Soviet Union, with communist Russia at its core, was not only not destroyed
   but also appeared before the world among the winners of the war, claiming to 
   be the main liberator from Nazism. Therefore, one of the four judges at the Nuremberg
   Tribunal was a representative of the Soviet Union, although the crimes of the
   communist rulers were no less or even greater than those of the leaders of Nazi
   Germany. However, Ecclesiastes warned: «Because the sentence against evildoers
   is not promptly executed, therefore the hearts of men are filled with the desire
   to commit evil» (Ecclesiastes 8:11). Therefore, after 1945, the USSR even expanded
   its geographical sphere of influence and conquered the countries of Central and
   Eastern Europe, creating satellite regimes in them and founding the Eastern Bloc
   of Communist states, which opposed the countries of the free world. It took more
   than forty years of the Cold War for the communist and atheist Soviet Union to
   reach complete ideological, economic, and social decline and eventually cease
   to exist.
 * The collapse of the USSR in 1991 brought liberation to those countries of Central
   and Eastern Europe that had been part of the communist bloc. It also gave a chance
   for freedom and a decent life to the nations that had created socialist republics
   within the Soviet Union. Among these nations were Ukrainians, who gained the 
   independence and national state they had dreamed of for centuries. It is worth
   mentioning that it was our Church, which was criminally banned by the communist
   rulers after World War II, was persecuted and kept underground throughout the
   Soviet period, that became one of the most important forces for change in Ukraine:
   the struggle for the legalization of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church in 1989-
   1991 was an important contribution to the destruction of the Soviet atheist empire,
   and after independence, the faithful of our Church tried to spiritually support
   the new nation-state and were consistent supporters of its renunciation of the
   totalitarian communist past. The journey to true freedom and liberation from 
   the negative legacy of the twentieth century has been long and difficult for 
   our country. However, we see good achievements along the way, especially in the
   development of a strong civil society in Ukraine, as evidenced by the Orange 
   Revolution of 2004, the Revolution of Dignity of 2013-2014, and the current heroic
   struggle against Russian aggression. The Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church is an
   integral part of civil society and therefore cannot stand aside from its just
   aspirations to have proper control over state power, build a fair democracy, 
   and protect the rule of law and human dignity.
 * The big mistake of the Free world after the collapse of the communist bloc was
   that post-Soviet Russia, which was recognized as the successor to the Soviet 
   Union, was not demanded by democratic countries to fully condemn the crimes of
   the communist period and to force the new Russian rulers to ensure decommunization,
   lustration, and purification of their state from the consequences of totalitarianism.
   Nothing similar to what happened in Germany after World War II was done in Russia.
   The thinking was not focused on spiritual values but on economics: many in the
   world thought that the process of democratization in Russia would take place 
   as if by itself, under conditions of private enterprise development, strengthening
   of economic levers, and trade with the Free world. The world's democracies hoped
   that deepening economic ties with Russia would help build trust and sustainable
   peace. However, these hopes ultimately proved to be in vain, as the Kremlin used
   this situation to accumulate resources for another war. The democratic world -
   perhaps without realizing it - has learned over time to use double standards 
   in its relations with Russia for economic gain, which clearly contradicts Christian
   teaching, which states: «Let love be sincere; hate what is evil, hold on to what
   is good» (Romans 12:9). Indeed, the Bible often contains texts that warn of the
   danger of underestimating the power of evil and naively hoping that evil will
   simply disappear: «Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls
   around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour» (I Pet. 5:8; cf. Eph. 
   5:11; II Tim. 4:3-4). However, these cautions were not considered, so not only
   did Soviet totalitarianism escape its «Nuremberg», but the international community
   did not develop mechanisms for quickly identifying the danger and responding 
   to a possible repetition of the tragedies of the twentieth century. All of this
   has led to fatal consequences: today we are dealing with an attempt to restore
   aggressive, militaristic totalitarianism in Russia in its new hybrid or postmodern
   form.
 * The new Russian tyranny of the twenty-first century is similar to the totalitarianism
   of the twentieth century, primarily because it is a ruthless enemy of human freedom
   and dignity. Like the totalitarian regimes of the recent past, it uses the latest
   technical means and seeks to conquer not only the bodies but also the souls of
   people. At first glance, modern Russian tyranny seems to be less cruel and totalitarian
   than communist and national socialist totalitarianism. In fact, it transforms
   the totalitarian features of the past into much more insidious, and therefore
   even more dangerous forms that can be called hybrid. The first feature of the
   new Russian totalitarianism is that it does not need ideology in the form that
   was characteristic of communism and national socialism, with its own «holy scripture»,
   i.e., a body of «canonical» texts by leaders and ideologues that set forth a 
   more or less coherent theory of the future to achieve some utopian «great purpose».
   Such an ideology, although it was false and ugly, still wanted to have its own«
   moral code» and used the phraseology of social justice. Instead, modern Russian
   totalitarianism does not claim to have positive content and a coherent theory;
   it is propaganda for nihilism in its worst forms, and its goal is the moral corruption
   of man, his dehumanization to turn him into a weak-willed, indifferent to moral
   values, an instrument of crimes against humanity. It seeks to undermine faith
   in any moral principles and tempts his subjects with the opportunity to commit
   violence against others with impunity. It claims that the whole world is governed
   only by brutal force, deception, and self-interest. Putting forward various conspiratorial
   theories of a global conspiracy against Russia, it uses them to justify any crimes
   committed by the Russian government against other nations. In its cult of the
   ruler, militarism, corporatism, open propaganda of brutal violence, and emphasis
   on its own national and racial superiority, the modern tyranny of Moscow has 
   much in common with the fascism of the last century, therefore it is not surprising
   that the appropriate word «ruscism» was found to describe it.
 * The second feature of modern Russian hybrid totalitarianism is the qualitatively
   higher level of technical tools. The tools used by the tyrants of the twentieth
   century have evolved radically in recent decades; culture and technology have
   risen to many levels. Moscow's ruscism effectively uses the achievements of information
   technology, including social media. The digital (technological) revolution to
   some extent helps Russian propaganda to create a different, virtual reality that
   is radically different from reality, and even more, distorts it. In its practical
   actions, in producing fakes and postulating post-truth, modern Russian propaganda
   benefits from some of the most radical movements of philosophical postmodernism
   at the end of the last century, which denied the existence of objective and verifiable
   truth and claimed that there are no natural foundations of morality and law. 
   That is why modern Russian tyranny can be called not only hybrid but also postmodern
   totalitarianism.
 * When it comes to Ukraine, all these features of hybrid totalitarianism are superimposed
   on another extremely important factor: the colonizing legacy of imperial, tsarist
   Russia. Most of the territory on which Ukrainians lived was conquered and conquered
   by Moscovia, a state entity that adopted the name «Russian Empire», between the
   second half of the seventeenth and mid-eighteenth centuries. Since then, the 
   Russian government has banned and suppressed Ukrainian culture, language, Сhurch,
   and identity; it has claimed that Ukrainians are only a younger, smaller, secondary
   part of the Russian population. As indicated by numerous public texts and speeches
   of contemporary Russian top-level leaders and propagandists, today this traditional
   Moscow imperial ideology has acquired a radical militant character and calls 
   for the complete destruction of the Ukrainian state and Ukrainian identity as
   such. The war being waged by Russia against Ukraine has all the features of a
   neocolonial war on the European continent with clear signs of genocide. The destruction
   of everything that is Ukrainian has become the political program of the Russian
   leaders, their mania, which is supported by a large part of the citizens of the
   aggressor state, which indicates the unhealthy state of Russian society. That
   is why calls for a compromise with Russia, which Ukraine occasionally hears from
   some representatives of the international community, even from members of the
   religious community, have no real basis and demonstrate a lack of understanding
   of the situation in which Ukrainians find themselves. The problem lies not only
   in the fact that such calls are immoral, as they disregard the principles of 
   respect for human dignity and just peace but also in the fact that they are simply
   unrealistic: a compromise cannot be reached if one of the parties denies the 
   very existence of the other. Russia leaves Ukraine no choice but to defend itself
   militarily. This war is a national liberation struggle of the Ukrainian civilian
   nation for the right to its own existence and future and the independence, freedom,
   and dignity of our citizens.

 1. From the «Russian World» (_Russkij mir_) to «ruscism» - the path of degradation
    of the aggressor state.

 1.  From what has been said about contemporary Russian hybrid totalitarianism, it 
     follows that it has a particular attitude toward religion and the Church. Orthodoxy
     in its Moscow form is being used in Russia today to fill the ideological vacuum
     that arose because of the fall of communism, considering religion as a means of
     reinforcing state power and turning it into a political tool. At the same time,
     the symbols of the communist period are strangely mixed with the mental paradigms
     of the tsarist empire. The Russian Orthodox Church has a long, one might say the
     centuries-long tradition of serving the Russian government in its various, sometimes
     opposing historical forms - from the Orthodox of the Tsardom of Moscow and the
     Russian Empire to the atheistic and communist Soviet Union. In all these state
     formations, the leadership of the Russian Orthodox Church sought to be in unity
     with the political authorities and benefit from a privileged position. Therefore,
     it should not be surprising that the Patriarch of Moscow supported and blessed
     Russia's criminal war against the Ukrainian people. Such actions are in line with
     the Moscow tradition of the Church's ideological service to the authorities and
     its servility to those in power. Unfortunately, now this long-standing imperial
     tradition, combined with modern post-communist totalitarianism, has led to a real
     crime committed by the leadership of the Moscow Patriarchate to propagandize the
     war. It was this church leadership that generated the new genocidal ideology now
     known as the «Russian World» and voluntarily offered its services to the criminal
     authorities and sanctified them. We observe this deep moral fall of the Moscow
     Patriarch and his religious supporters with great pain because it compromises 
     Christianity as such and undermines the trust of our contemporaries in the Church
     and in all those who use the name of Christ. Therefore, today it becomes especially
     urgent for everyone to «test the spirits» (cf. I John 4:1) in order to be able
     to distinguish political ideology hidden in pseudo-Christian rhetoric from true
     faith in Christ.
 2.  For many years, Ukrainian society has been trying to convey to the international
     community that a new aggressive ideology is emerging in Russia, a mixture of ressentiment,
     nationalism, and pseudo-religious messianism. However, during the entire period
     preceding the war, no one heard us. This ideology, which the Russian authorities
     called the «Russian World», was established in Russia as the official and only
     correct ideology, and the role of the Moscow Patriarchate in creating and promoting
     this ideology is now well-known and undeniable. It is the Russian Orthodox Church
     that has given the «Russian World» ideology a quasi-religious spirit, portraying
     Russia as the last bastion of Christianity on earth that resists the forces of
     evil. At the same time, the Russian Orthodox Church endows the deadliest nuclear
     weapons on earth with an almost sacred status.
 3.  The quasi-religious doctrine of the «Russian World» provided ideological justification
     for Russia’s full-scale aggression against Ukraine. This aggression has raised
     to the surface a whole layer of issues that should have been left in the past.
     Thus, it would seem that attempts to ideologize Christianity, when it was identified
     with a particular country, nation, or nations with their political ambitions and
     goals, have long since become history, as such instrumentalization contradicts
     the very essence of Christianity. However, the whole world is now witnessing Russia’s
     most brutal use of Christian symbols and Gospel images to justify the violation
     of the international order, the attack on a sovereign state, and mass murder. 
     The prophet Jeremiah spoke of such duplicity: «They ready their tongues like a
     drawn bow; with lying, and not with truth, they hold forth in the land» (9:2).
 4.  It is important for Christians around the world that the doctrine of the «Russian
     World» has been condemned by numerous representatives of the Orthodox community
     itself. In particular, a group of nearly 350 Orthodox theologians called it a 
     heresy and a «vile doctrine that has no justification»[[3]](https://nweparchy.ca/2024/03/rescue-the-oppressed-from-the-hand-of-the-oppressor-jer-223-the-message-of-the-of-the-synod-of-bishops-of-the-ugcc-in-ukraine-on-war-and-just-p/#_ftn3).
     According to these theologians, the basis of the «Russian World» ideology is the
     false doctrine of ethnophyletism. They also "denounce all those who affirm Caesaropapism,
     replacing total obedience to the crucified and risen Lord with obedience to any
     leader who is endowed with authority and claims to be God's anointed, regardless
     of the title he is known by: «сaesar», «emperor», «king», or "president." And,
     as the previously mentioned theologians conclude, «if such false principles are
     considered valid, then the Orthodox Church ceases to be the Church of the Gospel
     of Jesus Christ, the Apostles, the Nicene-Constantinople Creed, the Ecumenical
     Councils, and the Church Fathers. Unity becomes fundamentally impossible»[[4]](https://nweparchy.ca/2024/03/rescue-the-oppressed-from-the-hand-of-the-oppressor-jer-223-the-message-of-the-of-the-synod-of-bishops-of-the-ugcc-in-ukraine-on-war-and-just-p/#_ftn4).
 5.  The Appeal of the Christian Churches of Ukraine to condemn the aggressive ideology
     of the «Russkij mir» states that «Patriarch Kirill Gundyaev of the Russian Orthodox
     Church and the Russian Orthodox Church have been and remain one of the main creators
     and propagandists of the ideology of the «Russian World», which provides for the
     exclusivity of the «Russian civilization» and its separation and hostile confrontation
     with others. However, such a position - to exclude or delineate others based on
     ethnicity or cultural affiliation - does not correspond to the foundations of 
     the Christian faith as such. Inciting hatred and waging war based on the «Russian
     World» ideology violates Christian principles and contradicts the spiritual norms
     that the Church is supposed to embody. This ideology today is a challenge to the
     preaching of the Gospel in the modern world and destroys the credibility of the
     Christian witness, regardless of confession»[[5]](https://nweparchy.ca/2024/03/rescue-the-oppressed-from-the-hand-of-the-oppressor-jer-223-the-message-of-the-of-the-synod-of-bishops-of-the-ugcc-in-ukraine-on-war-and-just-p/#_ftn5).
 6.  Eventually, this quasi-Christian doctrine degraded into a complete ideology of
     ruscism with its cult of the ruler and the dead, a mythologized past, fascism's
     inherent corporativism, total censorship, conspiracy theories, centralized propaganda,
     and a war to destroy another nation. It seems that ruscism has combined all previous
     ideological constructs, from the Tsardom of Muscovy with its messianic ideas of«
     Holy Russia» and «the Third Rome» to the USSR with its aggressive imperialism 
     and desire for global domination.
 7.  This degradation of the Christian nature of the Russian Orthodox Church has revealed
     major weaknesses in the previous ecumenical dialogue. Its participants, having
     good will and intentions, remained inaudible to warnings that the Moscow Patriarchate,
     as in the days of the USSR, was only instrumentalizing this dialogue. Eventually,
     we came to a point where this instrumentalization became visible, and the quasi-
     ideological formula of «dialogue at any cost» became contrary to the Gospel principle
     of «dialogue in truth».
 8.  In addition, we can state that the European practice of «realpolitik», which sometimes
     turned into zealotry before the powerful of this world, did not justify itself
     either. It was considered a reasonable approach that took into account the realities
     of life. However, such a position is rather evidence of implication and a recognition
     of the alleged inability of the Gospel to illuminate the paths of human life, 
     where «sensual lust, enticement for the eyes, and a pretentious life» (I John 
     2:16) leads people. Today, the world needs the prophetic voice of the Church, 
     which will speak the language of justice, take the side of the offended, and shame
     and condemn the offender.
 9.  The inability of the Christian world to find adequate spiritual and worldview 
     solutions to these challenges from Russia is partly due to the fact that current
     Christian postulates in the international community have also undergone a certain
     ideologization. Evangelical fidelity to the truth, which in a situation of violent
     confrontation with evil turns into the sword of Christ (cf. Matthew 10:34), has
     conceded to the ideology of political correctness, which creates the illusion 
     of the possibility of pacifying evil. The reasonable conclusion that only God 
     has absolute truth has turned into a trap of ethical relativism, which gives legitimacy
     even to deliberately constructed lies. That is why it is so important for Christians
     to critically reflect on their past perceptions in order to find the truth again
     in the thicket of modern ideologies and thus restore their ability to «hear His
     voice» (John 18:37).
 10. The current challenges brought about by the doctrine of the «Russian World» and
     the shift toward relativism are bringing great spiritual and ideological confusion
     to the human community, causing many people and even some governments to lose 
     the ability to distinguish between truth and deception, good and evil. The tragedy
     of the current war is that the very language of spiritual values is threatened,
     as Russia and other authoritarian regimes use this language to persuade people's
     hearts to commit terrible sin: «as they make a pretense of religion but deny its
     power» (II Tim. 3:5). For example, the concept of «spiritual fight» has acquired
     a distorted meaning in Russia and is discredited at a time when spiritual confrontation
     with evil is becoming almost the only means of saving humanity.
 11. The ideological manipulativeness of the «Russian World» doctrine leads not only
     to worldview but also to pastoral losses. While fictiously defending the interests
     of the Russian people and elevating them above other nations, this doctrine actually
     leaves them without pastoral care. The souls of Russians hear the voice of earthly
     Caesar instead of the voice of God and therefore become defenseless against the
     demons of Russian history. Therefore, in a spiritual sense, the flock of this 
     Church is left to its own devices.

 1. Nonviolent resistance

 * Looking to Christ and following the encouragement of his disciples and apostles,
   many early Christians chose a spiritual path that today is described as nonviolent
   resistance. They were convinced that Jesus’ example of forgiveness and mercy,
   his refusal to defend his life through physical resistance was an ethical call
   that precluded discipleship that accepted the shedding of blood. This was the
   path taken by the ancient Kyiv princes Borys and Hlib, who refused to engage 
   in dynastic struggle and defended themselves by violent means (cf. Matt. 26:52).
   For this spiritual feat, the Kyiv Church proclaimed them one of the first saints
   of the Kyiv land.
 * Throughout history, this form of opposition to aggression has taken on different
   forms and practical implementation. In particular, in the Middle Ages, those 
   who sought to renew the Church called for a return to the «pre-Constantine» abstinence
   from any form of self-defense that involved the use of weapons. Nonviolent movements
   of the twentieth century are also widely known today.
 * In the Pastoral Constitution on the Church in the Modern World, «Gaudium et Spes»,
   the Fathers of the Second Vatican Council affirmed: «Motivated by this same spirit,
   we cannot fail to praise those who renounce the use of violence in the vindication
   of their rights and who resort to methods of defense which are otherwise available
   to weaker parties too, provided this can be done without injury to the rights
   and duties of others or of the community itself»[[6]](https://nweparchy.ca/2024/03/rescue-the-oppressed-from-the-hand-of-the-oppressor-jer-223-the-message-of-the-of-the-synod-of-bishops-of-the-ugcc-in-ukraine-on-war-and-just-p/#_ftn6).
   Similar thoughts are found in the Catechism of the Catholic Church[[7]](https://nweparchy.ca/2024/03/rescue-the-oppressed-from-the-hand-of-the-oppressor-jer-223-the-message-of-the-of-the-synod-of-bishops-of-the-ugcc-in-ukraine-on-war-and-just-p/#_ftn7).
   And in the Catechism of the UGCC «Christ is our Pascha» we read: «War is a crime
   against life because it brings suffering and death, grief, and injustice. War
   cannot be considered a way to resolve conflict issues. For this purpose, other
   means are consistent with human dignity: international law, honest dialogue, 
   solidarity between states, diplomacy»[[8]](https://nweparchy.ca/2024/03/rescue-the-oppressed-from-the-hand-of-the-oppressor-jer-223-the-message-of-the-of-the-synod-of-bishops-of-the-ugcc-in-ukraine-on-war-and-just-p/#_ftn8).
   Therefore, since the time of this Council, the Church has emphasized the right
   of every person to moral choice and discernment in wartime.
 * This tradition of nonviolent resistance has become an important part of the spiritual
   experience of humanity, but it cannot be considered the only one with evangelical
   legitimization. St. Augustine rightly noted: «If Christian doctrine defined all
   wars as sin, then soldiers who asked for advice on how to save their souls would
   have been told in the Gospel that they should lay down their arms and refuse 
   to serve in the military. But they were told do not practice extortion, do not
   falsely accuse anyone, and be satisfied with your wages»[[9]](https://nweparchy.ca/2024/03/rescue-the-oppressed-from-the-hand-of-the-oppressor-jer-223-the-message-of-the-of-the-synod-of-bishops-of-the-ugcc-in-ukraine-on-war-and-just-p/#_ftn9)(
   cf. Luke 3:14). In other words, military service should be a service of peace
   and justice for the common good.
 * The Gospel is peace-loving and peacemaking, but not pacifist (in the modern sense
   of the term). It does not eliminate the duty of the state to protect the life
   and freedom of its citizens. After all, as St. Paul states, the state «does not
   bear the sword without purpose; it is the servant of God to inflict wrath on 
   the evildoer». (Rom. 13:4). A person has the right to a fair trial, to self-defense,
   to the inviolability of his or her health and life, and the state's task is to
   provide all the conditions for the realization of these rights. That is why God
   has given the state the power to stop violence, protect the innocent, preserve
   peace, and bring criminals to justice. For this purpose, power structures and
   armed forces exist. We need to distinguish between force and violence because
   not all use of force is violence. The state must ensure a fair trial because 
   its task is to ensure that justice is done. If the state encourages people to
   do things that are contrary to their conscience, then we must be guided by what
   the Scriptures teach: «We must obey God rather than men» (Acts 5:29)[[10]](https://nweparchy.ca/2024/03/rescue-the-oppressed-from-the-hand-of-the-oppressor-jer-223-the-message-of-the-of-the-synod-of-bishops-of-the-ugcc-in-ukraine-on-war-and-just-p/#_ftn10).
 * It is extremely important to understand Jesus’ words about turning the other 
   cheek (Matthew 5:39) and loving our enemies (Matthew 5:44) in context and correctly.
   We can forgive personal insults, but we do not have the right to remain silent
   when we see violence directed against other people. Moreover, there is evidence
   in the Scriptures that the offended did not remain silent when violence was directed
   against him. For example, Jesus said: «Why do you strike me?» (John 18:23), and
   St. Paul warned his offender: «God will strike you, you whitewashed wall!» (Acts
   23:3). Therefore, forgiveness does not mean tacit approval of the offender's 
   actions and submission to evil, but rather overcoming them by the power of Christ.
   It only indicates that the Christian entrusts God with the restoration of justice,
   for «Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord» (Rom. 12:19).
 * Contemporary pacifists, completely ignoring the gospel foundations of the objectivity
   of Truth, often see peace as the fruit of appeasement of evil or compromise with
   it. However, in 1979, in Ireland, St. Pope John Paul II affirmed that peace is
   the result of adherence to «ethical principles»[[11]](https://nweparchy.ca/2024/03/rescue-the-oppressed-from-the-hand-of-the-oppressor-jer-223-the-message-of-the-of-the-synod-of-bishops-of-the-ugcc-in-ukraine-on-war-and-just-p/#_ftn11).
   This is fully in line with the prophetic tradition: «Justice will bring about
   peace; right will produce calm and security» (Isaiah 32:17). And in 1981, the
   same pope expressed his conviction that «wars arise as a result of invasions 
   or as a result of ideological imperialism, exploitation and other forms of injustice»
   [[12]](https://nweparchy.ca/2024/03/rescue-the-oppressed-from-the-hand-of-the-oppressor-jer-223-the-message-of-the-of-the-synod-of-bishops-of-the-ugcc-in-ukraine-on-war-and-just-p/#_ftn12).
 * In order to achieve a fictional peace, pacifists are often willing - consciously
   or unconsciously - to withdraw the perpetrators of peace from responsibility.
   The arguments vary and sometimes are even highly moral, such as the desire to
   avoid further human losses. This is the argument that is often raised in the 
   context of Russia’s large-scale aggression against Ukraine. The words of the 
   Apostle Paul should serve as a warning to the creators of a false peace: «When
   people are saying, «Peace and security», then sudden disaster comes upon them...»(
   I Thessalonians 5:3). Because the aggressor concludes that its violence becomes
   its legal right and tries by all means to achieve recognition of this «right 
   to crime» under the guise of legitimizing geopolitical interests and justifying
   them. The lack of proper condemnation and opposition to such actions by the international
   community and church leaders creates the illusion of the success of this model
   of the behavior of an entire state, which [model] not only does not find fair
   opposition but is rapidly spreading as a legitimate model of international relations.
   The force of international law is being replaced by the blind law of the strong
   one. Instead of respect for the dignity and inviolability of the sovereignty 
   of the subject of international law, exclusive and special «rights» of modern
   world powers are affirmed, which impose themselves in international relations
   as those who may have the right to «patronize» other sovereign states or directly
   declare the loss of the right of a certain state and a certain nation to exist.
   This undermines the credibility of international law and any international peace
   agreement based on it. International cooperation and mutual trust come to a standstill,
   the world begins to arm itself and plunges deeper and deeper into an atmosphere
   of fear, mutual threats, and ultimatums. This way of imposing international relations
   today, when the sovereignty of international law subjects is sacrificed in the
   name of appeasing the claims of global power, is very similar to the international
   climate in Europe and the world before the outbreak of World War II. Indeed, 
   the aggressor again feels impunity and plays on this fear. Thus, the experience
   of the current Russian aggression demonstrates that unprincipled pacifist slogans
   of pacification encourage the aggressor to further violence. In this historical
   context, the prophetic gesture of Ukraine thirty years ago - its renunciation
   of nuclear weapons and its trust in the signatories of the Budapest Memorandum,
   an international agreement concluded on December 5, 1994, between Ukraine, Russia,
   the United Kingdom, and the United States on security guarantees for Ukraine 
   in connection with its acquisition of a non-nuclear status - is a prophetic gesture
   of trust in the power of international law on the part of the Christian people
   and a manifest of their national aspirations for just security and peace. Today,
   this gesture deserves special attention and a new comprehension.
 * One of the main reasons for the current commitment to the ideas of pacifism is
   also the growing danger of war with the use of nuclear weapons. Often, instead
   of proclaiming the inadmissibility of such a war and searching for ways to abandon
   it altogether, one can now find theories about the «limits of legitimate self-
   defense» of non-nuclear-weapon states and «legitimate surrender» in order to 
   avoid possible casualties. However, is it really possible to prevent this by 
   laying down arms in front of the aggressor? This is a question that has become
   acute in the context of Russia’s aggression against Ukraine, and the entire international
   community must answer it.  The hypothetical avoidance by Russia, a nuclear power,
   of responsibility for a criminal violation of international law and an attack
   on a sovereign state will only accelerate the growth of the number of nuclear
   powers on the planet. Now, after the start of Russia’s full-scale aggression 
   against Ukraine, non-nuclear states feel more vulnerable than ever before to 
   the possessors of deadly warheads. And if we consider Russia's seizure and shelling
   of Ukrainian nuclear power plants, the situation becomes even more alarming. 
   How can we talk about international security today when a state that is a member
   of the UN Security Council and possesses one of the largest nuclear arsenals 
   in the world, in order to achieve its aggressive goals, itself poses a threat
   to this security and resorts to outright nuclear blackmail of the entire international
   community?  The prophet Micah wrote about such brutal behavior: «They covet fields,
   and seize them; houses, and they take them; They cheat an owner of his house,
   a man of his inheritance» (2:2).
 * Adherence to the Decalogue is a prerequisite for a just society, and war is a
   brutal violation of God's commandments. As the above-mentioned constitution «
   Gaudium et Spes» emphasizes, «Any act of war aimed indiscriminately at the destruction
   of entire cities of extensive areas along with their population is a crime against
   God and the man himself. It merits unequivocal and unhesitating condemnation»
   [[13]](https://nweparchy.ca/2024/03/rescue-the-oppressed-from-the-hand-of-the-oppressor-jer-223-the-message-of-the-of-the-synod-of-bishops-of-the-ugcc-in-ukraine-on-war-and-just-p/#_ftn13).
   Can the human community leave without condemnation and responsibility for the
   genocide of Ukrainians that the Russian army has organized in Bucha, Borodyanka,
   Irpin, Mariupol, and many other occupied territories of Ukraine? Who will stand
   up for the victims and their families? The current cry of Ukrainians to the international
   community for justice has the full support of the Church, as it has always made
   and continues to choose favor of the offended. This is the essence of her mandate
   from our Lord Jesus Christ and her warning against injustice, which does not 
   come by itself: «He made a pit, digging it out, and falls into the hole that 
   he has made». (Psalm 7:15).

 1. Defensive war and legitimate defense

 * Since the time of St. Ambrose of Milan (340-397) and St. Augustine (354-430),
   given the real circumstances of the sinful world in which we live, the Church
   has been guided by a rule known today as the just war theory. This approach excluded
   any unprovoked aggression and any unmotivated use of force and also contained
   rules of warfare.
 * Throughout history, many Christian thinkers have reflected on these principles.
   The clear presence of evil in history has led to the realization that the defense
   of one’s neighbor and one's own survival requires the need to resist armed aggression.
   Reflecting on the experience of the First World War, the righteous Metropolitan
   Andrey Sheptytsky spoke of the right of the people to self-defense and «the permissible
   defense of their own land, their own families, and their own homes»[[14]](https://nweparchy.ca/2024/03/rescue-the-oppressed-from-the-hand-of-the-oppressor-jer-223-the-message-of-the-of-the-synod-of-bishops-of-the-ugcc-in-ukraine-on-war-and-just-p/#_ftn14).
   To ensure that defense does not escalate into violence and meets the criteria
   of proportionality of such self-defense, certain principles of a just defensive
   war were developed, as we say today, the principles of legal defense. Scientific
   and technological progress, which led to the development of new, more dangerous
   weapons, and thus new threats and the emergence of new forms of social organization
   could not but affect the evolution of the theory of justice in such a war. The
   process of rethinking some of its aspects was particularly active after the end
   of World War II. Pope Pius XII (1939-1958) considered defensive wars just and
   emphasized that other nations have a duty not to abandon an attacked country 
   in trouble. The Fathers of the Second Vatican Council in the constitution «Gaudium
   et Spes» stated that «As long as the danger of war remains and there is no competent
   and sufficiently powerful authority at the international level, governments cannot
   be denied the right to legitimate defense once every means of peaceful settlement
   has been exhausted»[[15]](https://nweparchy.ca/2024/03/rescue-the-oppressed-from-the-hand-of-the-oppressor-jer-223-the-message-of-the-of-the-synod-of-bishops-of-the-ugcc-in-ukraine-on-war-and-just-p/#_ftn15).
 * After the Second World War and the establishment of the United Nations, international
   law ceased to operate with the concept of a «just war» and moved to a complete
   prohibition of warfare. According to the UN Charter, the use of armed force against
   the territorial integrity or political independence of any state is recognized
   as unlawful, and all disputes between states are to be settled by peaceful means
   in such a way as not to endanger international peace and security, and justice
   [[16]](https://nweparchy.ca/2024/03/rescue-the-oppressed-from-the-hand-of-the-oppressor-jer-223-the-message-of-the-of-the-synod-of-bishops-of-the-ugcc-in-ukraine-on-war-and-just-p/#_ftn16).
   Later, in Resolution 3314 (XXIX) «Definition of Aggression», adopted by the UN
   General Assembly on December 14, 1974, it was stated that no considerations of
   a political, economic, military, or other nature can justify an act of aggression
   [[17]](https://nweparchy.ca/2024/03/rescue-the-oppressed-from-the-hand-of-the-oppressor-jer-223-the-message-of-the-of-the-synod-of-bishops-of-the-ugcc-in-ukraine-on-war-and-just-p/#_ftn17).
 * The use of force is authorized only by a decision of the UN Security Council 
   to the extent necessary to maintain or restore international peace and security
   or in self-defense against an armed attack. Thus, the UN Charter defines that
   the right to individual or collective self-defense against armed attack is inalienable,
   and the Charter itself does not limit this inalienable right in any way[[18]](https://nweparchy.ca/2024/03/rescue-the-oppressed-from-the-hand-of-the-oppressor-jer-223-the-message-of-the-of-the-synod-of-bishops-of-the-ugcc-in-ukraine-on-war-and-just-p/#_ftn18).
 * St. Pope John XXIII sought to shift the focus of the discussion of war and peace
   to peacebuilding but did not deny the right of nations to self-defense in the
   event of an unprovoked attack[[19]](https://nweparchy.ca/2024/03/rescue-the-oppressed-from-the-hand-of-the-oppressor-jer-223-the-message-of-the-of-the-synod-of-bishops-of-the-ugcc-in-ukraine-on-war-and-just-p/#_ftn19).
   Therefore, the Church distanced itself from the practice of naive pacifism, which
   often turns into moral blindness in distinguishing between good and evil. Moreover,
   St. Pope Paul VI warned about «the insidiousness of a purely tactical pacifism,
   which intoxicates the enemy to be defeated and kills the understanding of justice,
   duty, and sacrifice in souls»[[20]](https://nweparchy.ca/2024/03/rescue-the-oppressed-from-the-hand-of-the-oppressor-jer-223-the-message-of-the-of-the-synod-of-bishops-of-the-ugcc-in-ukraine-on-war-and-just-p/#_ftn20).
 * The Catholic Church teaches that legitimate armed defense against an unjust attacker,
   as well as war in general, is always the last means that a party in danger can
   resort to. This is emphasized by the Catechism of the UGCC «Christ is our Pascha»:«
   The use of military force may be permissible only in cases of extreme necessity
   as a means of permissible self-defense, and the Christian soldier is always a
   defender of peace»[[21]](https://nweparchy.ca/2024/03/rescue-the-oppressed-from-the-hand-of-the-oppressor-jer-223-the-message-of-the-of-the-synod-of-bishops-of-the-ugcc-in-ukraine-on-war-and-just-p/#_ftn21).
   The Catechism of the Catholic Church outlines the elements of a just defensive
   war: «The exact conditions for legitimate defense by military force must be carefully
   determined. The seriousness of such a decision subjects it to the strict conditions
   of moral legality. It requires at the same time that the damage done by the aggressor
   to a nation or community of nations be prolonged, severe, and indisputable; that
   all other means of putting an end to it be impossible or unsuccessful; that the
   possibilities of success be reasonable; and that the use of arms not cause disaster
   and disorder greater than the disaster to be removed»[[22]](https://nweparchy.ca/2024/03/rescue-the-oppressed-from-the-hand-of-the-oppressor-jer-223-the-message-of-the-of-the-synod-of-bishops-of-the-ugcc-in-ukraine-on-war-and-just-p/#_ftn22),
   that is, when negotiations, arbitration, compromise, and other means have failed.
   As a rational being, a person is obliged to make decisions based on common sense
   and the law, rather than using force, whenever possible. For the legal defense
   to be just, the safety of civilians must be kept in mind. This defense always
   has a clearly limited goal: a just peace, not the complete destruction of the
   enemy's people, economy, or political institutions. In order to achieve a just
   peace, limited and proportionate means must be used: armaments and force must
   be limited to what is absolutely necessary to repel aggression and deter future
   attacks.
 * In his encyclical «Fratelli Tutti», His Holiness Francis warns against «an overly
   broad interpretation» of the right to legitimate defense, which could be used
   by some to «preventive» attacks or actions that cause more evil than the one 
   that needs to be eliminated; he also added that «today it is very difficult to
   choose the criteria developed over the past centuries to affirm the possibility
   of a «just war»[[23]](https://nweparchy.ca/2024/03/rescue-the-oppressed-from-the-hand-of-the-oppressor-jer-223-the-message-of-the-of-the-synod-of-bishops-of-the-ugcc-in-ukraine-on-war-and-just-p/#_ftn23).
   This is a valid point, given the way Russian propaganda justifies its aggression
   against Ukraine. However, does not such manipulation by Russia indicate the need
   to develop even clearer and more precise criteria for legal defense, which would
   make it impossible for the aggressor to pretend to be a victim?
 * In the light of the teachings of the Catholic Church, the Security and Defense
   Forces of Ukraine are legitimately defending the state and the people. Today,
   there is no shortage of evidence that Russia has been unwilling to resolve its
   contradictions with Ukraine at the negotiating table as an equal and sovereign
   partner. The aggressor country rejects the very right to existence of the Ukrainian
   people and its state as a subject of international law, refusing to engage in
   dialogue and negotiations with a sovereign Ukraine. It is impossible to «engage
   in dialogue with someone who does not exist», as Russian propaganda constantly
   repeats. According to the above-mentioned modern Russian ideology of ruscism,
   the «Ukrainian issue» must be resolved once and for all through the complete 
   destruction of everything Ukrainian. Since 2014, Russia has carried out unprovoked
   acts of aggression against Ukraine, first occupying the Crimean Peninsula and
   then launching a proxy war in Donbas. In 2022, it launched a full-scale invasion
   and, using a wide range of weapons, mercilessly destroys civilian infrastructure,
   terrorizes, and kills civilians. The Ukrainian army is up against an extremely
   powerful military machine that uses the full range of sophisticated weapons and
   periodically threatens to launch a nuclear strike against a non-nuclear country,
   to which it guaranteed security and territorial integrity by signing the 1994
   Budapest Memorandum.

**V. Neutrality in time of war**

 * Neutrality can indeed be the result of prudent judgment and analysis. There are
   situations in which a country does not want to deepen a conflict because of its
   involvement in it or wants to mediate between the opposing sides. However, such
   neutrality has its pitfalls: there is a limit beyond which such a position begins
   to be a betrayal of one's own values and principles and plays into the hands 
   of the wrongdoer. If it [neutrality] is caused by indifference, cowardice, or
   a biased or self-serving attitude, it becomes a morally wrong choice rather than
   a manifestation of a deep understanding of the causes and consequences of the
   dispute (cf. Prov. 24:11-12; Matt. 12:30; James 4:17; Rev. 3:15-16).
 * Keeping such situations in mind, Pope Pius XII emphasized in his 1948 Christmas
   message that in the case of unjust aggression, «the solidarity of the family 
   of nations forbids others to behave as mere spectators, by showing impassive 
   neutrality», and added that it was impossible to measure the damage «already 
   done in the past by such indifference to wars of aggression" and that such a 
   position "has only reassured and emboldened the authors and instigators of aggression»
   [[24]](https://nweparchy.ca/2024/03/rescue-the-oppressed-from-the-hand-of-the-oppressor-jer-223-the-message-of-the-of-the-synod-of-bishops-of-the-ugcc-in-ukraine-on-war-and-just-p/#_ftn24).
 * In times of war, neutrality needs to be approached with a delicate understanding
   of the ethical and moral aspects. There may be a legitimate desire to prevent
   further bloodshed or to facilitate a diplomatic resolution of the conflict. However,
   neutrality should not be extended to the point where it becomes a passive approval
   of injustice and crimes, as there is a moral imperative to oppose unjust aggression
   against any country and to defend the values on which the international community
   is based. The lessons of history, as emphasized by Pope Pius XII, are a strong
   reminder that indifference to acts of aggression can have far-reaching consequences.
   Nations are obliged to assess the limits of their political neutrality, which
   cannot become moral, otherwise it will turn into a betrayal of fundamental values
   and principles. At such critical moments, the international community must rise
   above mere impartiality and actively work for justice, peace, and the preservation
   of human dignity.
 * Russian aggression against Ukraine is not a struggle for disputed territory: 
   it is an attack on international law and a crime against peace. The current war
   in Europe is a zero-sum conflict of identities, as Ukrainians seek to preserve
   their state independence and the right to be Ukrainians, while Russians seek 
   to deprive Ukrainians of their right to exist as such and revive their empire.
   The atrocities of the Russian army against civilians, which the whole world is
   watching almost live, are a brutal outrage on human dignity and a crime of genocide.
   Maintaining feigned neutrality in such a situation is a betrayal of the values
   of respect for international law, justice, and human dignity. This is a position
   based on interests, not principles.
 * Artificial and formal neutrality encourages many to treat both warring parties
   symmetrically, as politically and morally equal, ignoring the real causes of 
   this war and its circumstances, and therefore it is destined for an ethical defeat.
   This defeat is also determined by the fact that the Russian-Ukrainian war is 
   radically different from traditional military conflicts. In this situation, it
   is impossible to maintain moral neutrality; instead, one must make a choice in
   favor of values: «You cannot serve God and mammon» (Matthew 6:24).
 * Of course, there are countries in the world that, due to a certain historical
   trajectory or the specifics of their role in the international community, declare
   permanent neutrality in the event of any armed conflict, and therefore consistently
   adhere to the principles to which this status obliges them. Among such states,
   the Holy See occupies a special place, whose positive neutrality means that it
   does not limit itself to observation but seeks to facilitate dialogue between
   the parties of the conflict. In serving the cause of peace and international 
   cooperation of the Apostolic See, it is necessary to distinguish between two 
   types of neutrality: diplomatic and moral. However, we do not see moral neutrality
   in the actions of the Holy See. For example, in the case of Russia’s unjust aggression
   against our Homeland, it clearly distinguishes between the aggressor and the 
   victim of its attack and always supports the one who became this victim - the
   Ukrainian people.
 * At the same time, the millennial tradition of the role of the Roman Bishop as
   the highest arbiter of the Christian world, that is, the position «above the 
   parties» at war, has enabled and enables the Vatican to play an important, sometimes
   decisive role in resolving many conflict situations around the world, as well
   as to help establish channels for the exchange of prisoners and relieve the suffering
   of civilians.
 * The significance of this mediation cannot be overestimated in the context of 
   Russia's current aggression against Ukraine, as many mothers and wives gratefully
   recall the Holy Father's role in the release of captured soldiers or deported
   children. Such facts become especially eloquent when the diplomatic mediation
   efforts of the Bishop of Rome are harmoniously combined with the language of 
   faith, which dares to call evil evil, healing human wounds with this word of 
   truth, as was the case, for example, on January 8, 2024, during a meeting of 
   Pope Francis with the diplomatic corps accredited to the Holy See. At that time,
   the Pope reminded the participants that it was Russia that unleashed an aggressive
   war against Ukraine and emphasized that war crimes require an appropriate response
   from the international community[[25]](https://nweparchy.ca/2024/03/rescue-the-oppressed-from-the-hand-of-the-oppressor-jer-223-the-message-of-the-of-the-synod-of-bishops-of-the-ugcc-in-ukraine-on-war-and-just-p/#_ftn25).

# VI. The goal of legal defense is a just peace

 * In this message to all people of goodwill, we want to emphasize that it is our
   Christian and civic duty to defend the lives of our neighbors, especially children,
   women, and the elderly, most courageously and radically possible - by taking 
   up arms and willingly laying down our own lives, as Jesus taught: «No one has
   greater love than this, to lay down one's life for one’s friends» (John 15:13).
   We are in a situation where we must defend people from non-humans.
 * In Christian ethics, a just peace means more than just a victory over aggression.
   The ethics of just war, which prevails in the Christian understanding of war 
   and peace, was formed in the Middle Ages when the Church used the concept of 
   justice, a constant desire to give everyone his or her due. This concept became
   the basis of modern international law, which means the right of nations and peoples
   to independence. The roots of the understanding of justice can be found in the
   Bible - here it means all-embracing right relationships, which are expressed 
   by the Hebrew term «tzadik» and the Greek term «dikaiosine». This justice is 
   consistent with rights and the law, but it is broader than that, as it also includes
   virtues such as giving and mercy. It reaches its climax in God’s reconciliation
   of the world to himself through the cross and resurrection, which the apostle
   Paul calls the justice of God (cf. Rom. 3:21-26; II Thess. 1:6).
 * Ukrainians, of course, want the war to end as soon as possible and the long-awaited
   peace to come. Saints Augustine and Thomas Aquinas believed that the goal of 
   a just war is a just peace. Pope Paul VI reiterated this thesis on the Day of
   Peace in 1972[[26]](https://nweparchy.ca/2024/03/rescue-the-oppressed-from-the-hand-of-the-oppressor-jer-223-the-message-of-the-of-the-synod-of-bishops-of-the-ugcc-in-ukraine-on-war-and-just-p/#_ftn26).
   However, the end of war is not true peace if it means the end of Ukraine.
 * The purpose of legitimate defense of one's own people and statehood is to ensure
   a just peace for all parties, so revenge, conquest, economic gain, and subordination
   are unacceptable. A just peace can neither be the «appeasement» of the aggressor
   nor the so-called «minimal peace» that implies recognition of the territories
   occupied by the aggressor. Such a [just] peace must be long-lasting and permanent,
   with the restoration of the principles of international law. It involves not 
   only defeating the aggressor and restoring Ukraine's territorial integrity, but
   also measures aimed at restoring proper relations between Ukraine and Russia 
   and healing the wounds caused by the war: disclosure of the truth and recognition
   of criminals, international criminal courts, reparations, political apologies
   and forgiveness, memorials, new constitutions, and local reconciliation forums.
 * In order to achieve a just peace in Ukraine, Christian churches, international
   organizations, and political institutions must be able to use very clear rhetoric
   to condemn Russia’s military aggression and genocidal acts against Ukraine, and
   to ensure that war criminals are prosecuted. Unpunished evil continues to cause
   even more damage.
 * The numerous victims that Russia has caused in Ukraine throughout history, particularly
   in the 20th century, as well as after the full-scale invasion on February 24,
   2022, should be the focus of the international community's attention to properly
   assess these ongoing atrocities.
 * Russia’s aggression in Ukraine has forced the world to live through new experiences
   and new traumas similar to those that humanity experienced during World War II.
   The terrible consequences of this Russian invasion need to be addressed now and
   considered when working to strengthen the security architecture of Ukraine and
   the world. This global and sustainable security architecture should be based 
   on the principles of a just peace, and the efforts of states, international organizations,
   and Christian churches should be directed to this end.

# Conclusion

 * There is «a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them», said Ecclesiastes(
   Ecc. 3:5), and our time confirms this. The current regime in Russia has set out
   to dismantle the recent international security structure, redraw the world, and
   establish its own rules. The international institutions and mechanisms that supported
   this order are now showing their powerlessness in the face of the attack of the
   destroyers of this order.
 * All this was not only a shock to the international community, but also a challenge
   to the Church of Christ. After all, its teachings, which, on the initiative of
   the Christian democrats of Europe, set the paradigm for the half-century development
   of its peaceful civilization, have largely adapted to the conventional rules.
   Today, we need to remember that the Gospel is not so much a collection of postulates
   from which Christian doctrine is built as God's word, which encourages us to 
   eternally renew our spirit and rethink the realities of this world.
 * The same Ecclesiastes reminds us: «There is a time to be silent and a time to
   speak» (cf. Ecc. 3:7). So, there is a time when the Church speaks with a pastoral
   voice, fulfilling the commandment of the Lord: «Feed my sheep» (John 21:16-17).
   There is a time when the Church speaks with a teacher’s voice, giving instruction:«
   Go therefore and make disciples of all nations» (Matt. 28:20). And there is a
   time when the Church must speak with her prophetic voice, giving sick people 
   a ray of hope on how to overcome evil: «They conquered him by the blood of the
   Lamb and by the word of their testimony; love for life did not deter them from
   death» (Revelation 12:11). We, Christians, must pray a lot so that the prophetic
   voice of Christ's Church becomes convincing.
 * Ukraine has become a center of global change and is facing terrible challenges
   today. The evil is real - we have seen its face. The voices of the innocently
   murdered and ruthlessly tortured, brutally raped, and forcibly deported are calling
   out to the world's conscience. Ukrainians do not question the importance of soberly
   weighing threats and carefully calibrating political steps. However, it is equally
   important to maintain the ability to look at current events through the eyes 
   of a victim.
 * The world has failed to stop the Moscow tyrant and warn him that «sin is a demon
   lurking at the door: his urge is toward you, yet you can be his master» (Genesis
   4:7). Today, when genocide is being performed online, it is a good time to openly
   tell this tyrant that he has brought a curse from Heaven upon himself, dooming
   himself to «You shall become a restless wanderer on the earth», (cf. Genesis 
   4:12).
 * How should Christians around the world act now? First of all, we need to realize
   the global nature of the current threat and to affirm and develop the power of
   just international law. The belief of some world societies that this war is a
   purely local conflict between two nations is wrong, and therefore, after reconciling
   them, it will be possible to return to the usual comfort. Today, all the foundations
   of human civilization are under threat.
 * For many years, Russia has been using the so-called hybrid warfare as a tool 
   to achieve its imperial, human-hating goals, which includes the creation of economic
   dependence in individual countries, information warfare through the spread of
   propaganda and fakes, bribing heads of international organizations and politicians,
   intimidation and destruction of its own dissident citizens who managed to leave
   for other countries, and so on. Russia's goal is to cause threats and chaos in
   order to annex the territories of other countries or offer them its «help» in
   order to gain control over them. Such an insidious and destructive policy requires
   the international community to quickly recognize global threats and a clear moral
   assessment by the Church.
 * By launching a hybrid war against Ukraine, Russia has actually challenged the
   entire civilized world. It has stirred it up so much that many people have ceased
   to distinguish between truth and deception, and thus between good and evil. Before
   our eyes, a terrible substitution is taking place: what is evil is dressed in
   the dress of good, and what is good is stamped with the stigma of hell. In such
   a distorted world, it will be impossible to avoid or stop wars. Blurred verbal
   declarations and vague political language will be powerless, and diplomatic neutrality
   without clear values and guidelines will gradually turn into moral relativism
   or even weakness, which already prevents many politicians in the civilized world
   from recognizing the atrocities of Russian troops in Ukraine as genocide of the
   Ukrainian people because it would require their intervention. At present, many
   Christians who belong to the postmodern generation of the Western world simply
   do not see the genocide of the Ukrainian people and do not hear the cries of 
   the victims, but in order not to lose face, they continue to express their worry
   and deep concern.
 * All of this can be overcome only by a clear and distinct proclamation of the 
   Gospel Truth. If modern humanity - the humanity of the «post-truth era» - does
   not recognize objective truth, it will gradually turn into a «post-justice world».
   If it does not develop and establish social justice based on the main principles
   of human dignity, sanctity and inviolability of human life, common good, and 
   solidarity, it will end up in societies where the concept of _law_ is replaced
   by the _concept of interests_ of certain individuals or criminal groups, the 
   right of the strong prevails over the rule of law, the law is not the same for
   everyone, and the foundations of international law and the inviolability of state
   sovereignty fall victim to the geopolitical and economic interests of the world
   powers of today.
 * The voice of the eternal Gospel Truth, and its implementation in social and international
   relations, has its own unique history in the tradition of the Kyivan Church and
   our millennial tradition of state-building. This eternal Truth and Justice is
   reflected in the light of our St. Sophia, the Divine Wisdom, the unchanging matrix
   of the development of the Ukrainian people and our native state and is precisely
   formulated as a guideline for social and international relations in the millennial
   slogan «Do not let the powerful destroy a man!» from the immortal «Teaching to
   Children» by Prince Volodymyr Monomakh of Kyiv (1053-1125). «Do not let the powerful
   destroy a man!» is the call of the Kyivan Church to the conscience of the modern
   Christian and its vision of the development of the Church's social teaching on
   justice and peace in the modern world. «Do not let the powerful destroy a man!»
   is the call of the suffering Ukraine to the international community to proclaim
   the objective values of just social construction and international cooperation.
 * The righteous Metropolitan Andrey Sheptytsky, during the madness of World War
   II, called at archeparchial synods for a new understanding of God’s commandments
   as a way to implement the life-giving principles of the truth of God’s law in
   building a just society. For only by restoring the legislative effect of the 
   Decalogue can we expect the restoration of God's peace. Without this, the next
   threat facing humanity may be the last. This call is especially relevant in the
   context of Russian aggression today.
 * «Jesus Christ yesterday and today is the same forever» (Hebrews 13:8). The Lord
   wants His disciples to be like they were at the beginning of Christianity - courageous
   in their faithfulness to the truth; not to turn a blind eye to terrible injustice,
   seeking economic gain and peace of mind. The life of Jesus - His teachings and
   deeds - are an example and a gracious light for us to be true human beings, created
   in the image and likeness of God and carrying the peacemaking power of the Holy
   Spirit. They testify to His wise and just rule in the world. This example is 
   so pure and clear that it cannot be replaced by any opportunistic diplomacy or
   politics that disregards the dignity and rights of individuals and nations.

The blessing of the Lord be upon you!

On behalf of the Synod of Bishops

of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church

in Ukraine

**† SVIATOSLAV**

Given in Kyiv,

at the Patriarchal Cathedral of the Resurrection of Christ,

on the day of the Repose of our Holy Father Constantine, philosopher,

in the monks named Cyril, teacher of the Slavs;

Holy Venerable Father Auxentius;

St. Maron, hermit and miracle worker,

February 14, 2024

---

[[1]](https://nweparchy.ca/2024/03/rescue-the-oppressed-from-the-hand-of-the-oppressor-jer-223-the-message-of-the-of-the-synod-of-bishops-of-the-ugcc-in-ukraine-on-war-and-just-p/#_ftnref1)
Pastoral letter «To the Ukrainian Youth»,_ _Lviv, 1932.

[[2]](https://nweparchy.ca/2024/03/rescue-the-oppressed-from-the-hand-of-the-oppressor-jer-223-the-message-of-the-of-the-synod-of-bishops-of-the-ugcc-in-ukraine-on-war-and-just-p/#_ftnref2)
Cf. Thomas Aquinas, Summa Theologica, 1a 2ae, q. 92, art. 1, ob. 4; q. 105, art.
1; 2a 2ae, q. 50, art. 1, ob. 2; De reg. princ., lib. 1, cap. 1; lib. 3, cap. 7.

[[3]](https://nweparchy.ca/2024/03/rescue-the-oppressed-from-the-hand-of-the-oppressor-jer-223-the-message-of-the-of-the-synod-of-bishops-of-the-ugcc-in-ukraine-on-war-and-just-p/#_ftnref3)
Declaration of the Orthodox Theologians of the World on the "Russian World," March
13, 2022.

[[4]](https://nweparchy.ca/2024/03/rescue-the-oppressed-from-the-hand-of-the-oppressor-jer-223-the-message-of-the-of-the-synod-of-bishops-of-the-ugcc-in-ukraine-on-war-and-just-p/#_ftnref4)
Ibid.

[[5]](https://nweparchy.ca/2024/03/rescue-the-oppressed-from-the-hand-of-the-oppressor-jer-223-the-message-of-the-of-the-synod-of-bishops-of-the-ugcc-in-ukraine-on-war-and-just-p/#_ftnref5)
Kyiv, 10 of January 2024

[[6]](https://nweparchy.ca/2024/03/rescue-the-oppressed-from-the-hand-of-the-oppressor-jer-223-the-message-of-the-of-the-synod-of-bishops-of-the-ugcc-in-ukraine-on-war-and-just-p/#_ftnref6)
GS, 78.

[[7]](https://nweparchy.ca/2024/03/rescue-the-oppressed-from-the-hand-of-the-oppressor-jer-223-the-message-of-the-of-the-synod-of-bishops-of-the-ugcc-in-ukraine-on-war-and-just-p/#_ftnref7)
Catechism of the Catholic Church, 2306.

[[8]](https://nweparchy.ca/2024/03/rescue-the-oppressed-from-the-hand-of-the-oppressor-jer-223-the-message-of-the-of-the-synod-of-bishops-of-the-ugcc-in-ukraine-on-war-and-just-p/#_ftnref8)
Christ is our Pascha, 989.

[[9]](https://nweparchy.ca/2024/03/rescue-the-oppressed-from-the-hand-of-the-oppressor-jer-223-the-message-of-the-of-the-synod-of-bishops-of-the-ugcc-in-ukraine-on-war-and-just-p/#_ftnref9)
Letter 138, To Marcellinus, n. 15.

[[10]](https://nweparchy.ca/2024/03/rescue-the-oppressed-from-the-hand-of-the-oppressor-jer-223-the-message-of-the-of-the-synod-of-bishops-of-the-ugcc-in-ukraine-on-war-and-just-p/#_ftnref10)
Cf. Compendium of the Catechism of the Catholic Church, n. 503.

[[11]](https://nweparchy.ca/2024/03/rescue-the-oppressed-from-the-hand-of-the-oppressor-jer-223-the-message-of-the-of-the-synod-of-bishops-of-the-ugcc-in-ukraine-on-war-and-just-p/#_ftnref11)
Sermon at Holy Mass, Drogheda, September 29, 1979, n. 8.

[[12]](https://nweparchy.ca/2024/03/rescue-the-oppressed-from-the-hand-of-the-oppressor-jer-223-the-message-of-the-of-the-synod-of-bishops-of-the-ugcc-in-ukraine-on-war-and-just-p/#_ftnref12)
Address on the occasion of the World Day of Peace, January 1, 1981, n. 8.

[[13]](https://nweparchy.ca/2024/03/rescue-the-oppressed-from-the-hand-of-the-oppressor-jer-223-the-message-of-the-of-the-synod-of-bishops-of-the-ugcc-in-ukraine-on-war-and-just-p/#_ftnref13)
GS, 80.

[[14]](https://nweparchy.ca/2024/03/rescue-the-oppressed-from-the-hand-of-the-oppressor-jer-223-the-message-of-the-of-the-synod-of-bishops-of-the-ugcc-in-ukraine-on-war-and-just-p/#_ftnref14)
Pastoral message to the clergy and faithful «On repentance and regular Holy Communion»,
Lviv, February 5, 1939.

[[15]](https://nweparchy.ca/2024/03/rescue-the-oppressed-from-the-hand-of-the-oppressor-jer-223-the-message-of-the-of-the-synod-of-bishops-of-the-ugcc-in-ukraine-on-war-and-just-p/#_ftnref15)
GS, 79.

[[16]](https://nweparchy.ca/2024/03/rescue-the-oppressed-from-the-hand-of-the-oppressor-jer-223-the-message-of-the-of-the-synod-of-bishops-of-the-ugcc-in-ukraine-on-war-and-just-p/#_ftnref16)
Cf. Art. 2, n. 3 and 4.

[[17]](https://nweparchy.ca/2024/03/rescue-the-oppressed-from-the-hand-of-the-oppressor-jer-223-the-message-of-the-of-the-synod-of-bishops-of-the-ugcc-in-ukraine-on-war-and-just-p/#_ftnref17)
Cf. Art. 5, 1.

[[18]](https://nweparchy.ca/2024/03/rescue-the-oppressed-from-the-hand-of-the-oppressor-jer-223-the-message-of-the-of-the-synod-of-bishops-of-the-ugcc-in-ukraine-on-war-and-just-p/#_ftnref18)
Cf. Art. 5.

[[19]](https://nweparchy.ca/2024/03/rescue-the-oppressed-from-the-hand-of-the-oppressor-jer-223-the-message-of-the-of-the-synod-of-bishops-of-the-ugcc-in-ukraine-on-war-and-just-p/#_ftnref19)
Cf. Encyclical on the Establishment of Universal Peace in Truth, «Pacem in terries»,
April 11, 1963.

[[20]](https://nweparchy.ca/2024/03/rescue-the-oppressed-from-the-hand-of-the-oppressor-jer-223-the-message-of-the-of-the-synod-of-bishops-of-the-ugcc-in-ukraine-on-war-and-just-p/#_ftnref20)
Address on the World Day of Peace, January 1, 1981.

[[21]](https://nweparchy.ca/2024/03/rescue-the-oppressed-from-the-hand-of-the-oppressor-jer-223-the-message-of-the-of-the-synod-of-bishops-of-the-ugcc-in-ukraine-on-war-and-just-p/#_ftnref21)
Christ is our Pascha, 990.

[[22]](https://nweparchy.ca/2024/03/rescue-the-oppressed-from-the-hand-of-the-oppressor-jer-223-the-message-of-the-of-the-synod-of-bishops-of-the-ugcc-in-ukraine-on-war-and-just-p/#_ftnref22)
CСС, 2309.

[[23]](https://nweparchy.ca/2024/03/rescue-the-oppressed-from-the-hand-of-the-oppressor-jer-223-the-message-of-the-of-the-synod-of-bishops-of-the-ugcc-in-ukraine-on-war-and-just-p/#_ftnref23)
FT, 258.

[[24]](https://nweparchy.ca/2024/03/rescue-the-oppressed-from-the-hand-of-the-oppressor-jer-223-the-message-of-the-of-the-synod-of-bishops-of-the-ugcc-in-ukraine-on-war-and-just-p/#_ftnref24)
Radio message to the faithful on Christmas, December 24, 1948.

[[25]](https://nweparchy.ca/2024/03/rescue-the-oppressed-from-the-hand-of-the-oppressor-jer-223-the-message-of-the-of-the-synod-of-bishops-of-the-ugcc-in-ukraine-on-war-and-just-p/#_ftnref25)
Cf. Speech to the Diplomatic Corps accredited to the Holy See, Vatican City, January
8, 2024.

[[26]](https://nweparchy.ca/2024/03/rescue-the-oppressed-from-the-hand-of-the-oppressor-jer-223-the-message-of-the-of-the-synod-of-bishops-of-the-ugcc-in-ukraine-on-war-and-just-p/#_ftnref26)
Cf. Peace Day Address, «If You Want Peace, Work for Justice», January 1, 1972.