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Politics Foreign Affairs Culture Fellows Program

Father Ioann Burdin, Living Not By Lies

Heroic Russian Orthodox priest dissents from Ukraine war, is persecuted by the state
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Here is a link to a must-see film by The New York Times about Father Ioann Burdin, a Russian Orthodox priest who is being persecuted by the Russian state for speaking out against the Ukraine war. Gary Shteyngart, the smarty-pants Soviet emigre novelist, is the narrator and host. Lines from the sermon that got Father Ioann arrested and charged:

"We Christians cannot stand on the sidelines while brother kills brother, Christian kills Christian. We cannot bashfully close our eyes. We cannot call black, white. The blood of Ukrainians is not only on the hands of leaders of the Russian Federation and the soldiers who carry out their order. Their blood is on the hands of each of us who approved this war, or who stayed silent."

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I could have done without Shteyngart vesting as an Orthodox priest to read a section of the sermon, but that mild sacrilege (if sacrilege it is) is nothing compared with the sacrilege committed by Patriarch Kyrill. Father Ioann is a true hero and confessor of the faith. Watch and marvel -- and pray for him.

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Fran Macadam
Fran Macadam
Lots of Ukrainian orthodox priests being persecuted, arrested and churches wrecked this week as actor Zelensky reads the orders handed to him by his one party state handlers. He really is a dictator if puppet figure head and has no tolerance for Christian dissent. All opposition parties banned, their leaders arrested, exiled or killed, and all media absorbed into government run propaganda outlets. Spreading democracy? His music video has him performing dressed like Sam Brinton. He's a man clearly living by lies.
schedule 1 year ago
Fran Macadam
Fran Macadam
In regards to the New York Times fetish, I can only hear The Who's refrain, "Don't get fooled again."
schedule 1 year ago
Fran Macadam
Fran Macadam
When your disillusion with organized religious organizations is complete, remember that those known to Him cannot be snatched away. This is the truth of the invisible Church, each one of us known to Christ.
schedule 1 year ago
Zenos Alexandrovitch
Zenos Alexandrovitch
Interesting how Rod doesn't care about the long history of Ukraine severely persecuting the church, because Russia is bad mkay
schedule 1 year ago
Zenos Alexandrovitch
Zenos Alexandrovitch
Slandering Kyril too because of muh NATO propaganda
schedule 1 year ago
    JON FRAZIER
    JON FRAZIER
    Kiril disgraced himself with his sermon on the Sunday of Forgiveness-- a day set aside for reconciliation and examining one's own sins and wrongs, not for political rants.
    schedule 1 year ago
      Fran Macadam
      Fran Macadam
      At some point you guys are going to have to emulate Protestants and establish your own schismatic sects!
      schedule 1 year ago
        JON FRAZIER
        JON FRAZIER
        No one is feuding over doctrine and, really, not over ecclesiastical practice either.
        schedule 1 year ago
          Fran Macadam
          Fran Macadam
          Often your points sound a lot like liberal theology. Just sayin'.
          schedule 1 year ago
          JON FRAZIER
          JON FRAZIER
          Huh? The war in Ukraine has zilch to do with religious doctrine. The Ukrainian Orthodox Church is on the same theological page as tje Russuan Orthodox Church. What is "liberal" about that observation?
          schedule 1 year ago
      Zenos Alexandrovitch
      Zenos Alexandrovitch
      Says the guy who supports sodomy reciprocity between the states. Lol, Jon, you have no moral credibility - unlike Patriarch Kirill with his excellent and true sermon.
      schedule 1 year ago
        JON FRAZIER
        JON FRAZIER
        Who said anything about sodomy? And what other people (abs definitely when married) do in bed is none of your or my business.
        schedule 1 year ago