Freedom of religion or national security? Where should the line be drawn?
The war has forced Ukraine to take a fresh look at many things that once seemed self-evident. One of them is the issue of religious freedom.
Can the state restrict the activities of a religious organization if it sees them as a threat to national security? And where is the line between protecting the state and interfering with freedom of conscience?
Religion in Ukraine is not merely a matter of personal faith. It is connected with culture, identity, social values, politics and, in the context of the Russian-Ukrainian war, with informational and ideological influence as well. This is why the concept of “religious security” is increasingly becoming part of the discussion about Ukraine’s national security.
But does the pursuit of security carry the risk of restricting the freedom of those whose views differ from those of the majority?
And conversely, can the state remain indifferent to religious structures that may potentially be used as instruments of hostile influence?
This discussion is particularly important for the younger generation, who will live in post-war Ukraine and will, in practice, shape the rules for the coexistence of different religions, worldviews, and identities.
🎙 Our guest is Liudmyla Fylypovych, Doctor of Philosophical Sciences, Professor, Leading Research Fellow at the Department of Religious Studies of the H. S. Skovoroda Institute of Philosophy of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, and President of the Ukrainian Association of Researchers of Religion. For many years, she has studied freedom of conscience and religion, church-state relations, interfaith dialogue, and the contemporary religious landscape in Ukraine.
This will be a conversation not only about religion. It is a conversation about what kind of country Ukraine will become – how free and secure it will be, and how capable it will be of living with its own diversity.
📅 August 25 (Tuesday)
🕕 6:00 PM
🎙 Guest: Liudmyla Fylypovych
📌 Topic: “How Can We Reconcile Freedom of Religion and National Security? Is It Time to Address Religious Security?”
🔗 Zoom link: https://us05web.zoom.us/j/87472078875?pwd=5hrhVoypXV045fy1tTFSK5Swl5TfiP.1&utm_source=chatgpt.com
