By Bishop Paul Peter Jesep

Lucifer took Jesus “up on a high mountain, showed Him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment.” The Father of Lies told the Savior that all of these countries and their governments could be His so long as the Lord worshiped him.  Christ rebuked Satan and sent the demon on his way (Luke 4:5-8).  Jesus was focused on the spiritual by rejecting temporal political power. Repeatedly, Our Lord taught that His kingdom was not of this world (John 18:36).

Hence, it’s sometimes puzzling to read about the zeal of President Yushchenko to form a church-state partnership to unify branches of Orthodoxy.  Although Ukraine is one of the most religious countries in Europe and its national identity and reawakening is attributable, in part, to faith, such good-intentioned efforts may only blur the needed distinction between church and state.  All Orthodox leaders must exercise caution.  In addition, government involvement to forge a type of national, unofficially state sanctioned faith, could wrongly marginalize the rich contributions of Judaism and Eastern Rite Catholicism as well as other religions.  Government must never show religious favoritism. 

Church leaders must be on guard against a relationship that will encourage them to behave in a secular manner that ultimately undermines faith.  History is filled with examples of government’s corrupting influences. Emperor Constantine made the state one with God.  This transformed the love, peace and unconditional acceptance of Christ into state-sanctioned greed, power and inquisitions.

The revolutions in France and Russia were fueled by the hubris and willingness of church leaders to rationalize and legitimize the governmental incompetence of monarchies.  These institutions along with the very silly notion of divine right brought excess and indifference toward human suffering to new heights. Today, Ukraine’s neighbor to the north hasn’t learned much from history.  The Moscow-Patriarchate is entwined with a government that increasingly disregards democracy.  

This isn't to suggest that Ukrainian Orthodoxy both in Ukraine and the Diaspora shouldn't come together.  Nor does it mean the government or elected officials shouldn't encourage it.  There even should be dialogue between government and all faiths.  In the case of a unified Orthodox Church, however, it must be done on the terms of Orthodox leaders who are committed to keep the secular and divine separate.  

Let the children of the Maker of All Good who seek Church unity sort things out without the amoral and often corrupting influences of secular institutions.  Let what is Caesar’s be left to government and what belongs to God be left to the Creator.

The views and opinions in the articles above do not necessarily reflect those of the UAOC