Church over politics, – His Beatitude Onuphry

Metropolitan of Kiev and all Ukraine His Beatitude Onuphry said the Church despite all political controversies in the society is called to show care about Her children. It was said in the interview of the UOC Primate to protopriest Vladislav Sofiychuk.

“The politicians are tasked to arrange all mundane affairs of the human society based on a given ideology. The calling of the Church of Christ is far more comprehensive and significant – changing, transfiguring a human soul and its preparing for the eternal life,” underlined the UOC Primate. “Therefore a political activity of man should be left behind the church fence and not be transferred inside the Church. A personal position of a clergyman is to be restricted by his voting box within the constituency on election days, since the Church, fulfilling Her mission in the terrestrial life, is beyond politics. The Church reminds us: if people lived by God’s Commandments, all their earthly affairs would be successfully settled.”

His Beatitude Onuphry also noted the fifth paragraph of the Fundamentals of Social Concept, approved by the Church, contains the entire chapter “Church and Politics.”

“The point is the Church despite political controversies in the society is called to show care for Her children, peace and agreement between people,” said Metropolitan Onuphry. “But even more important to us is an internal unity in faith and love: I appeal to you, brothers and sisters, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree with one another in what you say and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be perfectly united in mind and thought (1 Corinthians 1: 10). We should also remember the words of our Saint Ignatius the God-bearer: “You all constitute one Church, altar, as if you were one Jesus Christ.” Unity of the Church as a mysterious Body of Christ, whose intactness determines our eternal salvation is the highest value of the Church. She preaches peace among the people who have different political opinions. Besides, it’s important to emphasize that priests cannot take part in the activity of political organizations and pre-election campaigns”