Prof Cyril Hovorun: An Orthodox Theology of Peace for Ukraine

Name: Prof Cyril Hovorun: An Orthodox Theology of Peace for Ukraine
Start: 2026-03-24T05:30:00+13:00
End: 2026-03-24T06:30:00+13:00
Location: 8 Kelburn Parade, Wellington, New Zealand 6012

Schedule

Tue Mar 24 2026 at 05:30 am to 06:30 am

UTC+13:00

Location

8 Kelburn Parade, Wellington, New Zealand 6012 | Wellington, WG

Professor Cyril Hovorun will examine contrasting perceptions of war and peace in Ukraine and Russia. While Russia avoids calling its aggression against Ukraine a ‘war’, Russian leaders invoke imagery of sacred wars. In Ukraine, by contrast, many prefer to speak of sacred peace. These opposing attitudes are grounded in two distinct theological frameworks. The talk will explore Ukrainian public theology — centred on church–society relations — in contrast to Russian political theology, which emphasizes ‘symphonia’ between church and state. The presentation will conclude by proposing elements of a possible ‘formula of peace’ in the context of this war.
Archimandrite Dr Cyril Hovorun is a professor of ecclesiology, international relations and ecumenism. He teaches at Sankt Ignatios College/University College Stockholm and directs the Huffington Ecumenical Institute at Loyola Marymount University, California. Trained in Kyiv and Athens, he earned his PhD from Durham University under Andrew Louth. Formerly he led external church relations for the Ukrainian Orthodox Church and served in educational roles within the Russian Orthodox Church. A prolific author, his work addresses church-state relations, post‑Chalcedonian Christology, and Orthodox engagement in public life. Cyril is a frequent speaker on contemporary Orthodoxy and ecumenical dialogue.