Revolution and Ukrainia n Evangelical Churches
This study explores the public role of Evangelical churches in Ukraine during the Revolution of Dignity, foc using on their engagement with Romans 13. It employs autoethnography as an overarching methodological framework, integrated with historica l and textual analysis, providing a reflexive account of the research er’s proximity to the events while situating the churches’ action s within broader socio-political and theological contexts. The centra l question – why and in what ways Evangelical churches engaged with Romans 13 – is addressed through sub-questions that examine the ch ronological trajectories of the revolution, the churches’ evolving responses, and the hermeneutical dynamics of scripture in practice. T he study traces key phases and critical junctures, revealing how chur ch involvement progressed from initial hesitation to active moral eng agement. Events such as the unlawful beating of peaceful protesters a nd 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, undergo ing a dynamic hermeneutical shift: from questioning Christian partici pation in protest to affirming moral obligation to resist systemic in justice 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 a ction. Its originality lies in tracing the full cycle of interpretive possibilities of a single biblical text within a historically specif ic, rapidly evolving political context, revealing how dynamic events shape theological understanding, ethical discernment, and practical e ngagement. By positioning autoethnography as the overarching framewor k, the study ensures reflexive transparency and strengthens interpret ive rigor. In doing so, it contributes to discussions on public theol ogy, offering insights that are both academically rigorous and practi cally relevant for contemporary ecclesial communities in their public positioning.
More information on the thesis
DESCRIPTION: This study explores the public role of Evangelical church es in Ukraine during the Revolution of Dignity, focusing on their eng agement with Romans 13. It employs autoethnography as an overarching methodological framework, integrated with historical and textual anal ysis, providing a reflexive account of the researcher’s proximity t o the events while situating the churches’ actions within broader s ocio-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 trajec tories of the revolution, the churches’ evolving responses, and the hermeneutical dynamics of scripture in practice. The study traces ke y phases and critical junctures, revealing how church involvement pro gressed from initial hesitation to active moral engagement. Events su ch as the unlawful beating of peaceful protesters and the first fatal ities prompted a shift from cautious observation to visible public in itiatives, including interconfessional prayer tents, mediation effort s, and the establishment of aid centers. Romans 13 emerged as the pri mary biblical text guiding this engagement, undergoing a dynamic herm eneutical 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 Evangel ical involvement, exposing gaps in social teaching and the public rol e of the church, while demonstrating the necessity of contextually at tentive and flexible principles guiding ecclesial action. Its origina lity lies in tracing the full cycle of interpretive possibilities of a single biblical text within a historically specific, rapidly evolvi ng political context, revealing how dynamic events shape theological understanding, ethical discernment, and practical engagement. By posi tioning autoethnography as the overarching framework, the study ensur es reflexive transparency and strengthens interpretive rigor. In doin g so, it contributes to discussions on public theology, offering insi ghts that are both academically rigorous and practically relevant for contemporary ecclesial communities in their public positioning. More information on the thesis Revolution and Ukrainian Evangelic al Churches END:VEVENT END:VCALENDAR