Orthodox bloggers dispute whether a Christian can be a nationalist

30 September 2008, 15:25

Moscow, September 30, Interfax – It has been two weeks since Orthodox sector of the Live Journal opened discussions on whether nationalism is compatible with Christian outlook.

The debates started from a message written by Rector of St. Thomas Church Fr. Daniel Sysoyev in his e-diary.

“Any kind of nationalism is neither compatible with Christianity nor with ordinary common sense. It is evident that the very fact of various nations existing in the world is a result of the Babylon curse,” Fr. Daniel believes.

Renowned patriotic publicist Yegor Kholmogorov believes the priest’s opinion is “rather superficial and doesn’t correspond with a thousand-year tradition of Russian Orthodoxy that backed up national identity of Russians both in secular and church questions”.

Another popular blogger cleric of the Tver Diocese Fr. Georgy Belodurov in his commentaries pointed out to the mistakes of the both disputants.

“Holy Russia is a national ideal. It is an axiom. However, God’s gift can be wasted. I regret to see how Mammon (Canaan god of profit) tears my people. While we’re struggling for the right to speak about Christ and His Church from TV screens, Mammon offers people to buy and insure in ads every 15 minutes,” Fr. Georgy writes.

Head of the Moscow division of the Union of Orthodox citizens Kirill Frolov tries to reconcile “the Sysoyev polus” with “Kholmogorov polus” saying that Russian nation, Russian state and ecumenical Orthodoxy have the same interests.

“The Church doesn’t dissolve national way of life and identity, she ruminates over them, blesses and transfigure them. The Lord with His Providence turns into good even consequences of the Babylon curse,” Frolov writes stressing that “the Russian Orthodox Church is the only undivided structure in the post-Soviet territory and an important factor for its reintegration.”

About hundred Russian-speaking users of the Liver Journal have been involved in Christian disputes over nationalism. Russian patriots who live in Ukraine and Russian emigrants far abroad were especially interested in the topic.

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