Linnik Y. Development of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church in the context of socio-political transformations (1988-2015)

The dissertation deals with the development of the Ukrainian Orthodox Autonomous Church as a part of the Moscow Patriarchate from 1988 to 2015. The formation of Orthodox Church in 1988-1991 became the way to autocephaly. The return of it to the development as autonomy in 1992 led to the need of the UPC to have partnership with the pro-Russian political forces direction. The threat of entry of the Patriarchate of Constantinople in Ukraine in 2000-2004 created a strategic partnership with the Party of Regions and V. Yanukovych. In 2005-2008 it contributed to the development of a dialogue with the UAOC. An Ukrainophilistic turn in December 2007 was caused by challenges from Moscow to Metropolitan Vladimir's personal power and his entourage. Metropolitan Vladimir defended the UOC statute that provided its almost complete independence; created the ideology of Orthodox Ukrainophilism for UOC; proposed and implemented a policy of openness to other churches in Ukraine; insisted on condemning the pro-Russian "political orthodoxy." The crisis of UPC in 2014-2016 was generated by several factors: the transition of its leaders to positions of a religious fundamentalism, the pro-Russian information war of UOC against the UOC-KP and its allies, the inability to defend the autonomy of its own jurisdiction, the unsuccessful personnel policy of the previous primate.