Basic Trends in the Contemporary Development of State-Church Relations in Ukraine: A Sociological Perspective

Based on an analysis of research from sociological centers and institutes consistently operating in Ukraine, the authors present a comprehensive overview of the main trends occurring within the realm of state-church and inter-church relations. Specifically, the article addresses the trends in the self-identification of Orthodox believers in Ukraine, the dynamics of which sociologists have tracked since the beginning of the twenty-first century, as well as the changes unfolding in inter-Orthodox relations following the 2022 full-scale invasion. Crucial to this analysis is the highlighted inconsistency of state institutions in implementing the new law, Про захист конституційного ладу у сфері діяльності релігійних організацій [On the Protection of the Constitutional Order in the Sphere of Activities of Religious Organizations] (2024). Among other developmental trends in state-church relations, the authors identify: significant shifts in inter-Orthodox relations, particularly the distancing of the faithful of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the Moscow Patriarchate (UOC-MP) from Russian propaganda clichés; the struggle of churches to elevate their authority within Ukrainian society; the persistent idea among both civil servants and public activists regarding the creation of a “state church”; the dominance of social identity among Ukrainians alongside a low level of religious identity; a growing societal demand for the digitalization of religious organizations and the rising popularity of online ministry; a gradual shift in public opinion regarding the root causes of inter-church conflicts; a rising public demand for the national orientation of churches; and an increase in public life events and state institutional functions to which representatives of religious organizations are invited. The analysis leads to the conclusion that public opinion is being primed for a shift in the model of state-church relations in Ukraine - moving away from the Soviet-inherited paradigm of the «separation of church (religious organizations) from the state, and school from the church (religious organizations)» toward a model of «partnership relations between the state and the church (religious organizations)».