On 12 March 2026, the Governing Board of the Conference of European Churches (CEC) adopted a document entitled ‘Resisting Empire, Promoting Peace: Churches Confront the ‘Russian World’ Ideology”. In particular, it addresses the heretical nature of claims that a soldier’s death automatically cleanses sins, that Russia is a “katechon state”, and that the Russia’s invasion of Ukraine is a “holy war”.
The document itself was adopted following a conference held in Helsinki on 1–3 December 2025. It has now been reclassified: it is no longer merely a document drawn up by the participants of that meeting, but an official document of the Conference of European Churches itself. The main points of this document include the following:
- Although the ideas on ‘Russian World’ lack internal coherence, they coalesce into an imperial ideology that blurs the boundaries between political ideology and theology,
- These ideas success other Russian doctrines – ‘Moscow, the Third Rome’, ‘Holy Rus’ and Soviet expansionism. They deny the national identity of Ukrainians.
- The ‘Russian World’ ideology is based on a dualistic worldview in which Russia upholds ‘traditional values’ and opposes the liberal values of the West.
- This ideology distorts the Gospel, for in the Christian understanding, ‘the person stands before God in irreducible dignity, before nation, culture, or civilisation’.
- The concept of a ‘holy war’ is incompatible with ‘the teaching and example of our Lord Jesus Christ’. The document emphasises Christ’s threefold ministry – as King, Prophet and Priest – which is reflected in the ministry of the Churches: they are to serve passionately, speak boldly and pray faithfully.
The document contains a number of proposals regarding resistance to the empire and the promotion of peace. In particular, it emphasises that war crimes committed during Russia’s war against Ukraine should be named as sins, and that direct support should be provided to the victims of the war.
A Ukrainian translation of the document is available on our website – https://www.academic-initiative.org.ua/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/cec_ruski_mir.pdf
