Scholar Claims OCU Has "Moral Authority" Among All Social Groups

In the latest issue of the journal Church and Society, sociologist Tamara Baka made a number of claims about the Orthodox Church of Ukraine (OCU), attributing to it, in particular, “significant social capital” and “moral authority,” allegedly allowing the OCU to “influence various segments of society.” This was reported by the Ukraine Orthodox website.

The author also asserts that the influence of OCU clergy is based not on their material standing but on “spiritual leadership and the ability to mobilize believers.” She claims that OCU parishioners represent “all social groups,” and that the Church serves as a “platform for interclass interaction.”

We previously reported that on July 3, 2025, Epiphaniy Dumenko hosted the Secretary General of the Community of Democracies, Mantas Adomėnas, at his residence. During the meeting, the head of the OCU once again attempted to convince international representatives that there is allegedly no religious persecution in Ukraine.