The Russian Orthodox Church claims that pacifism is incompatible with the teachings of the Orthodox Church, as evidenced by its presence in heretical teachings. This is stated in the materials for the meeting of the ecclesiastical court, at which the statements of the priest from Kostroma Ioan Burdin, who was placed under ban for his anti-war stance, will be examined. The case materials were published by Father Ioan Burdin on his Telegram channel.
The meeting, scheduled for June 16, is to consider the statements of Father John Burdin, which “clearly denigrate the activities of the higher church authorities”, “undermine the confidence of the faithful in the patriarch and bishops” and harm “ecclesiastical unity”, according to the materials of the case.
“The pacifism with which priest Burdin tries to protect himself from the accusations against him is incompatible with the true teaching of the Orthodox Church, in particular with that set forth in the Foundations of the Social Concept,” the indictment also said.
According to Russian church figures, “pacifism was present in heretical teachings in various periods of church history – among the Gnostics, Paulicians, Bogomils, Albigensians and Tolstoists, showing, like other utopian ideologies, a connection with the ancient Hiliasm,” the case materials say . It is noted that throughout its history the Orthodox Church has “blessed the soldiers for the defense of the Fatherland”.
In reality, however, the Orthodox Church has never condemned “pacifism” and the reluctance to go to war because of God’s categorical and unequivocal commandment “Thou shalt not kill.” A number of canons prescribe penances (periods of penance and abstinence from Holy Communion) for combatants who have taken human life.
The charges state that “Ioan Burdin’s pacifism is in fact imaginary” and his statements “clearly show his anti-Russian political position, which is perceived as unacceptable in our country”, as reported by dveri.bg.
