This study explores the public role of Evangelical churches in Ukraine during the Revolution of Dignity, focusing on their engagement with Romans 13. It employs autoethnography as an overarching methodological framework, integrated with historical and textual analysis, providing a reflexive account of the researcher’s proximity to the events while situating the churches’ actions within broader socio-political and theological contexts. The central question – why and in what ways Evangelical churches engaged with Romans 13 – is addressed through sub-questions that examine the chronological trajectories of the revolution, the churches’ evolving responses, and the hermeneutical dynamics of scripture in practice. The study traces key phases and critical junctures, revealing how church involvement progressed from initial hesitation to active moral engagement. Events such as the unlawful beating of peaceful protesters and the first fatalities prompted a shift from cautious observation to visible public initiatives, including interconfessional prayer tents, mediation efforts, and the establishment of aid centers. Romans 13 emerged as the primary biblical text guiding this engagement, undergoing a dynamic hermeneutical shift: from questioning Christian participation in protest to affirming moral obligation to resist systemic injustice and state violence. The research highlights the unprecedented nature of Evangelical involvement, exposing gaps in social teaching and the public role of the church, while demonstrating the necessity of contextually attentive and flexible principles guiding ecclesial action. Its originality lies in tracing the full cycle of interpretive possibilities of a single biblical text within a historically specific, rapidly evolving political context, revealing how dynamic events shape theological understanding, ethical discernment, and practical engagement. By positioning autoethnography as the overarching framework, the study ensures reflexive transparency and strengthens interpretive rigor. In doing so, it contributes to discussions on public theology, offering insights that are both academically rigorous and practically relevant for contemporary ecclesial communities in their public positioning.
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