Last week was the one-year anniversary of Russia’s attack on Ukraine. Our congregation hosted a prayer vigil on March 6 of last year for the people of Ukraine and Russia, knowing that the latter were being lied to about this war. The attack was a continuation of Russia’s attempt to take over parts of Eastern Europe that used to belong to the Soviet Union; their leadership still sees itself as a global power who should own what used to “belong” to them. The vast majority of Americans have supported Ukraine, although there are some who think Russia is being judged too harshly. They are wrong – Russia wants to rule the world, and they have started with Ukraine.
During our prayer service, there were many fine words spoken about democracy and freedom; many of those words came from people who had heard stories of Nazi and Russian aggression against their ancestors, many of whom were Jewish. This is important – we need to remember that there is an aspect of anti-Semitism connected to Russia’s mission. Members of the local Russian Catholic Church participated in our service; their fears and concerns for loved ones in danger in Ukraine made us all shed tears. And in all of this, the Russian Orthodox Church stood by their man (Putin). Photo ops of Putin and Patriarch Kirill abound, attempting to make the case that the church is one of the reasons these two countries should be one. One monk who was quoted in a Time Magazine article from April of 2022 said, “Just as the One Lord God is the indivisible Holy Trinity of Father, Son, and Holy Spirit,” this monk foretold, “so Russia, Ukraine, and Belarus together are Holy Rus’ and cannot be separated.” While this might shock or offend us, it is nothing new. Nations have always used religion to support their agendas, and churches often use government to find favor, power, and money.
American history is full of this kind of breach of the wall that should separate church and state; from the Revolutionary war to the Gulf Wars, religious leaders have thrown their support behind our military endeavors. To be clear; religious people who oppose war should never oppose those who serve in those wars. The sacrifice they offer is undeniably noble and should be appreciated. Very few wars, however, can meet the standard of being righteous. We do not worship a God of war; we worship a God of peace. We provide chaplains of different faiths to give comfort and guidance to the troops, and their work is truly God’s work. Faith groups, however, should never support violence for money; we should support what is right. Defending democracy is challenging work, and it should never be approached lightly.
As an American I support Ukraine, and I am glad our country is helping them defend themselves. As a Christian, I weep over the loss of innocent life on both sides. It is an uneasy balance that many of us struggle with, and as long as there are people, that struggle will continue. It is my hope and prayer that Ukraine will prevail. Until then, we need to speak against churches that support evil for their own gain. They are wrong in Russia, and they are wrong in America.
Prayer – Holy God, we see the devastation of war all over the world, and we wonder when it will ever end. Help those nations – and ours – find ways to live in peace. Amen.
Today’s art is “Religion Peace, Religion War” by Aitziane Hacene.