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15 October 2018, 22:24 Former primate of Orthodox Church in U.S. opposes U.S. policy about church in Ukraine
Chicago, October 15, Interfax - Washington's interference in Ukraine's religious life would eventually end up in the strengthening of Moscow's positions, Metropolitan Jonah (Paffhausen), former primate of the Orthodox Church in America, one of the 15 local Orthodox Churches, now retired, said.
'The other churches have already rallied around the Patriarch of Moscow as standing for and maintaining canonical order; and around Metropolitan Onufry of Kiev as a victim of profound injustice [...]. So thanks to U.S. policy, Moscow emerges strongly as the moral leader of the Orthodox world. Poetic justice," the metropolitan said in his message to the congregation.
"Once again, the United States and its policies are creating chaos, setting up the murder of innocent people, and disrupting an ancient institution," the metropolitan said in his messaged dubbed 'Repent, and Stop This Insanity.'
As reported, earlier the U.S. Department of State supported Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew of Constantinople in his policy for autocephaly, which he is planning to grant Ukraine.
Thus, the granting of autocephaly to "the so-called Kiev Patriarchate" is not primarily an ecclesiastical issue, but a political one, Metropolitan Jonah said.
"It is not, of course, interfering for the sake of human rights, freedom of religion, [...] or the fundamental American principle of the separation of church and state. It is rather operating contrary to these fundamental American principles, and trying to force the faithful people of Ukraine into a unified state church, supporting an unpopular government [...] and essentially appointing the clergy and hierarchy, particularly the patriarch, for that body," he said.
Those who control the political life in the U.S. "are possessed by a paranoid Russophobia, left over from the first Cold War, and a new hatred of the Christian values espoused by the resurgent Russia," he said. "Despite Russia's overtures for greater cooperation and detente, and President Trump's apparent willingness to make friends with Russia, we remain hostage to the fears of State Department and Pentagon bureaucrats," Metropolitan Jonah said. |
