Philosopher Andriy Baumeister: Ukraine Cannot Be Called an Orthodox Country

Renowned Ukrainian philosopher Andriy Baumeister, in an interview with Oleksandr Shelest, expressed his deep concern about the state of Christianity in Ukraine. He noted that the country can no longer be considered Orthodox, as the Orthodox churches in Ukraine, in his opinion, do not defend citizens’ rights and freedoms, but rather function as part of the political system. This was reported by “Pershyi Kozatskyi.”

Baumeister pointed out that neither the OCU nor the UGCC can afford to criticize the authorities, as they are too closely connected to state structures and political processes. According to him, this prevents these churches from being true moral authorities capable of defending people’s rights or opposing governmental abuses.

At the same time, Baumeister expressed respect for the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (UOC), which, in his view, is bravely standing up against blatant human rights violations, despite pressure from the state and constant raids conducted by security forces. He emphasized that even under difficult circumstances, the UOC has remained more consistent in defending religious rights and freedoms.

The philosopher also recalled that during Holy Week, LGBT activists organized their own film festival, and most religious denominations, unfortunately, remained silent on the matter.

Ultimately, Baumeister concluded that the OCU is essentially a political project created under the influence of state policy, not out of genuine religious necessity.

He concluded by noting that church leaders often fail to speak out in defense of the weak, the oppressed, or the persecuted—especially when those individuals do not share the official views or political line.

Let us recall that religious scholar and OCU lobbyist Oleksandr Brodetskyi claims that the Ukrainian Orthodox Church is “moving closer” to the OCU when churches are seized. Brodetskyi believes that the creation of a single church structure is “logical and correct,” and that the UOC must “come to its senses” and recognize that the OCU, recognized by the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople, is the legitimate Orthodox Church in Ukraine.