The book “Chaplaincy Ministry in Ukraine: Problems and Prospects” has been published, by E. Romanenko, A. Bogdanenko, D. Martyshyn.
According to many experts, today not only in Ukraine, but throughout the global world, attention to studying the experience of organizing the service of military chaplains is intensifying. It is believed that this is a new scientific theoretical and practical wave aimed at developing modern approaches to the problems of war, peace, issues of the fight against terrorism, the formation of spiritual, moral, patriotic, military-psychological and ethical values of military personnel. The challenges of Ukraine’s bloody war with the Russian invaders persistently dictate the need to study the essence and main foundations of chaplaincy ministry, the social work of the Christian Church, the humanitarian policy of the Ukrainian state in interaction with the religious institutions of a democratic and plural society.
The strength, durability and comprehensive development of the Armed Forces of Ukraine largely presupposes the formation of a well-thought-out system of humanitarian and social policies and, in particular, the educational work of the Church among military personnel. After all, religious education, counseling, prayer, confession, blessing, consecration, worship, spiritual advice, included in the system of psychological and moral-combat training of military personnel, can not only significantly support the moral spirit of a warrior, raise the high bar of his combat effectiveness, but also strengthen the patriotic component . Armed forces and other military formations of Ukraine.
Let us note that the social service of the Orthodox Church is a specific type of specially constructed socio-spiritual activity as a special type of service of Christian communities in social work, psychological counseling, management and communication. The communication activities of the Church have its own specific characteristics and should be aimed at building strong social ties with the state and civil society. Accordingly, each Christian Church determines for itself the most appropriate format, concept, model and platform for the implementation of its sacred mission in accordance with the practice and traditions of its own church history.
The social ministry of Ukrainian Orthodoxy has four global directions: strategic social communications (preaching, education, worship, education, upbringing, science); crisis communications (confession, sacraments, rituals, services, social work, counseling, psychological assistance, chaplaincy); mass communications (work of Synodal, diocesan and parish bodies; interpersonal communications (pastorship).
In domestic theological science, theoretical and practical issues of the development of military chaplaincy and the organization of pastoral care in the Armed Forces and other military formations of Ukraine are only in the plane of initial study. There is a lack of theoretical and practical training for professional chaplains. This in turn requires change, reform and innovation in the social mission of Christianity.
Famous Ukrainian scientists Anatoly Bogdanenko, Evgeniy Romanenko and Denis Martyshin try to consider the history, current state, main problems and prospects for the development of chaplaincy ministry in accordance with real needs in their book “Chaplaincy ministry in Ukraine: problems and prospects”, published by the famous Kiev publishing house “Lira” -TO”. We can say that this small book is one of the first small “swallows” in the firmament of Ukrainian theological and secular science on the theoretical issues of the activities of the military chaplain service.
In the book, which the dear reader holds in his hands, the scientific problems of chaplaincy ministry are examined, a certain movement is outlined, a theological vector of development, certain stereotypes are destroyed, the degree of discussion is raised, a discussion is generated, and most importantly, the authors are trying to find answers to painful questions of the problem of war and peace. A noticeable sign of a fairly powerful attempt by Ukrainian scientists to deeply explore and understand the essence of the social teaching of the Orthodox Church, church communication, and the mission of Ukrainian Orthodoxy is their scientific works, books, and articles that have appeared in recent years.
It is quite clear that the spiritual path of development of Ukraine is of decisive importance in the conditions of intellectual war, military confrontation with Russian aggression, since traditional spiritual values can be successfully revived and developed in society when modern man approaches God and His Holy Church, understanding that Ukrainian Orthodoxy. I am freedom in Christ, the free breathing of the life-giving tradition of Christianity, the power of social renewal, the spiritualization of culture, history, the modernization of social service and living communication in God.
Ukrainian Orthodoxy of the 21st century is confidently walking along the path of renunciation of archaization, slavery, despair, spiritual remorse, despair, fundamentalism and colonial spiritual serfdom. In order to maximally contribute to the spiritual and social development of Ukraine and the Ukrainian army, one must not only take care of the economy, politics, history and culture, but testify through a sacrificial life that God and Ukraine come first!
Eminence
Gabriel (Krizina),
Bishop of Rivne and Sarnensky,
Doctor of Theological Sciences, Professor,
full-time chaplain of the Rivne military hospital (junior lieutenant of the chaplaincy service)
