Demediuk I. Orthodox Churches of Ukraine in Odesa, Mykolaiv and Kherson regions 1991 - 2010: institutionalization and socio-political aspects

The features of the process of formation and development of the Orthodox Churches of Ukraine in the national and regional planes during 1991-2010 are covered in the paper; the main stages and directions of their socio-political activity and relations with state authorities are determined; the features of the UAOC's revival in Ukraine during the twentieth century are revealed and the erection of church structures at the national and regional levels; the process of formation of the UOC (Moscow Patriarchate) and peculiarities of its institutionalization in the Southern Ukrainian dioceses are revealed; the specificities of the formation and development of the UOC of Kyiv Patriarchate in national and regional contexts were monitored; identified the main tendencies of relations between the national and local authorities with the Orthodox Churches of Ukraine; the content and main problems of interfaith communication of the Orthodox Churches in Odeska, Mykolaivska, Khersonska oblasts of Ukraine are revealed; main stages in the socio-political activity of the Orthodox Churches of Ukraine are investigated. It is proved that during 1991-1994 the first stage of state-church relations began, mainly concerning the process of return of cult property to the Churches by the state, allocation of sites for church building and changes of tax policy towards religious organizations. During this period, a political aspect was observed with the initiation of cooperation between the clergy and the state, which was manifested in the representation of religious figures in representative bodies of state power and local authorities. The second stage of state-church cooperation (1994-2004) was marked by socio-political orientation. The further development of the solution of the problem of the transfer of cult property and the allocation of land for church construction, which was initiated during the previous stage. At the same time, there was a politicization of the clergy's contacts with local authorities against the backdrop of inter-church confrontation, which had a certain ideological implication. Church conflicts were often used as an instrument of political struggle. In particular, the UOC showed a pro-russian orientation and held an irreconcilable stance against other denominations. The Odesa diocese of the UOC was a constant initiator of conflicts in the region, caused by the social and socio-political aspects of its activity. During the third stage (2005-2010), against the backdrop of unresolved issues regarding the transfer of cult property and the allocation of land for church construction, there was an intensification of the social and political aspect in the context of state-church relations in the territory of Mykolaiv, Kherson and Odesa regions. The scientific novelty of the results obtained is to comprehensively find out the process of institutionalization of the Orthodox Churches of Ukraine and their relations with state authorities on religious affairs at the national and regional levels in the period 1991-2010, which was the first subject of special study. During the preparation of the dissertation heuristic work was carried out, as a result of which unpublished sources were discovered in the archival institutions of Ukraine, the vast majority of which are introduced to scientific circulation. The new conceptual approach to the study of the institutionalization of the Orthodox Churches of Ukraine has been proposed by highlighting these processes in the state and regional planes and comparing the situation of these Churches in Odesa, Mykolaiv and Kherson regions; a comprehensive study of the peculiarities of state-church relations at the regional level; stages and main directions of participation of the Orthodox Churches of Ukraine in the social and political life of the Odesa, Mykolaiv and Kherson regions were determined; further developed a study of the relationship between the Orthodox Churches of Ukraine at the state and local levels; to find out the specifics of formation of state bodies in religious affairs; the chronology of development of the subjects of state-church relations has been specified and supplemented. The practical significance of the results of the research is that they significantly expand the range of scientific knowledge in the church history of Ukraine. The main results, generalizations and provisions of the dissertation can be the basis for further scientific developments of the problem of activity of the Orthodox Churches of Ukraine in 1991-2010 in the context of institutionalization and socio-political activity. They can be used in general lecture courses, when writing textbooks on the history of Ukraine, church history and religious studies in institutions of higher education. The conclusions of the dissertation can be taken into account by the state authorities and the leadership of the respective dioceses in the process of forming state-religious policy and spiritual development.