UGCC Bishops in their Message on War and Just Peace: “Today all the foundations of human civilization are under threat”
The belief of some world societies that this war is solely a local conflict between two peoples is wrong. Therefore, reconciling them will not be sufficient to return to the usual comfort. Today, all the foundations of human civilization are under threat. This was emphasized by the bishops of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church in the Message of the Synod of Bishops of the UGCC in Ukraine on war and just peace in the wake of new ideologies.
Empty graves after exhumation of bodies from the mass graves in Izyum in Kharkiv region, January 2024, photo: Roman Pylypey for AFP Photo
Ukraine has become a center of global change, experiencing terrible trials. The bishops of the UGCC noted that evil is real because everyone could see its face: “The voices of those innocently killed and ruthlessly tortured, brutally raped and forcibly deported are calling out to the conscience of the world.”
Unfortunately, the world has not yet succeeded in stopping the Moscow tyrant, which is why, according to the Synod, Christians around the world must be aware of the global nature of the current threat and affirm and develop the power of just international law.
“Currently, many Christians who belong to the postmodern generation of the Western world just do not see the genocide of the Ukrainian people and do not hear the cries of the victims. Yet, in order not to lose face, they continue to express their concern and deep anxiety,” the bishops emphasized.
As the Ukrainian bishops noted, this problem can be surmounted only by a clear and distinct proclamation of the Gospel Truth: “If modern humanity — the humanity of the ‘post-truth era’ — does not recognize objective truth, it will gradually turn into a ‘world of post-justice.’”
If humanity does not develop and establish social justice in accordance with the basic principles of human dignity, sanctity, and inviolability of human life, it will end up in a society where the concept of law is replaced by the interests of criminal groups and the right of the powerful prevails over the rule of law.
We remind you that the Synod of Bishops of the UGCC in Ukraine, whose last session was held on February 7–8, 2024, in Lviv, issued a Message on War and Just Peace in response to New Ideologies “Rescue the victim from the hand of his oppressor” (Jer. 22:3).
The Message aims to help people become wiser and stronger by enriching themselves with ancient Christian thinking about peace and war and to help the international community better understand the place of Ukraine and Ukrainians on the spiritual map of the modern world.
In the Message of the Synod of Bishops of the UGCC, Ukrainian bishops outlined the causes and origins of the Russian war against Ukraine, the degradation of the aggressor state from the “Russian world” to “racism,” as well as the importance of a defensive war to ensure a just peace and the danger to the neutrality of world society.
The UGCC Department for Information
