{"id":112891,"date":"2022-06-08T08:00:30","date_gmt":"2022-06-08T12:00:30","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/kendallharmon.net\/?p=112891"},"modified":"2022-06-08T08:18:42","modified_gmt":"2022-06-08T12:18:42","slug":"oup-blog-grace-davie-the-president-and-the-patriarch-the-significance-of-religion-in-the-ukrainian-crisis","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/kendallharmon.net\/?p=112891","title":{"rendered":"(OUP blog) Grace Davie–The president and the Patriarch: the significance of religion in the Ukrainian crisis"},"content":{"rendered":"

Borders in this part of Europe have shifted over many centuries in a marchland squeezed between East and West, most recently\u2014and tragically\u2014between Nazi Germany and the Soviet Union. The key point, however, is the following: Ukraine\u2019s western frontier is open to the West in a way that disturbs both Putin and the Russian Patriarch. Their unease is captured in the extraordinary sermon delivered by the Patriarch on 6 March (the eve of Orthodox Lent)<\/a> just two weeks after the Russian invasion commenced. Patriarch Kirill sees the Russian campaign as a war to defend Orthodox civilization against Western corruption, symbolised in this case by the holding of gay pride marches.<\/p>\n

Much has been written about the relationship between Putin and the Patriarch, most of which lies beyond the present discussion. The crucial fact, however, is abundantly clear: both men see themselves as defenders of an integral Christian culture as Western influence creeps ever closer. Seen from this perspective, Western \u201cideals\u201d\u2014not least, democracy, a market economy, secularity, diversity, and tolerance\u2014become a threat to civilization itself. Thus, a culture war tips inexorably into a religious one<\/a>, and becomes all the more difficult to resolve.<\/p>\n

One reason why this is so is the incapacity of Western minds to grasp the continuing significance of religion in much of the modern world<\/strong>. That is unfortunate as good social science\u2014including effective policy outcomes<\/a>\u2014demands that we see the issues from the point of view of the adversary as well as from our own. Only then can effective dialogue begin.<\/p>\n

Read it all<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\n

"Ukraine's western frontier is open to the West in a way that disturbs both Putin and the Russian Patriarch." Read Grace Davie on the importance of understanding the significance of religion in Russia during the Ukrainian crisis. https:\/\/t.co\/M9V9Fl5ESC<\/a><\/p>\n

— Oxford Academic (@OUPAcademic) June 8, 2022<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n