Conference on Religion and Goverment Held at Ukrainian Catholic University

On May 13-14, at the Ukrainian Catholic University (UCU) in Lviv, the 14th National Academic Conference “Religion and Authorities in Ukraine: Cultural Tradition, Modern Experience and Prospects” will be held. As part of the event organized by the Institute of Religion and Society of UCU, young scholars, post graduate students, and students will talk about trials of the church and authorities with freedom.

“The topic of this year’s conference is dedicated to the problem of relations between the religions and authorities in Ukraine today, particularly the observation of religious freedom, ensuring the right to the freedom of worship and the relations between the state and church,” noted the organizers.

The participants will also discuss the subject of the Kyivan Church and Kyivan Christianity and the possibility a state church in Ukraine. They will pay special attention to the principle of noninterference of the state in the affairs of the church and prohibition of discrimination of certain religious denominations and favoring others.   

The participants of the four sections of the conference, the theological and canonical, historical, sociopolitical, and media sections will discuss the questions “Is the Ukrainian state neutral as to different religions, denominations and jurisdictions?” “What are the modern relations between religions, denominations and jurisdictions?” “What is the correlation between faith and culture in the modern world?” “Problems of the Kyivan Christianity from the viewpoint of 21st century theology," among others. In addition, the conference will include a roundtable discussion “Idea of the Kyivan Church: Pro at Contra” and a lecture on the freedom of memory of Oleksandr Kryvenko.