Russian Orthodox Church Condemns 'Politicization' of World Council of Churches

Metropolitan Anthony of Volokolamsk. Source: mospat.ru

JOHANNESBURG — Metropolitan Anthony of Volokolamsk, head of the Moscow Patriarchate’s Department for External Church Relations, has sharply criticized the World Council of Churches (WCC) for its increasing politicization.

In the days following the Central Committee meeting in Johannesburg, Metropolitan Anthony granted an interview with RIA Novosti. In it, he expressed frustration with the WCC’s handling of discussions, particularly on Ukraine:

Based on my experience in these discussions, I must regrettably note that the work of the World Council of Churches has recently been marked by a high degree of politicization in its debates... In my opinion, the political bias of certain member churches has reached unprecedented levels, inevitably affecting the overall nature of the WCC’s work. The WCC is rapidly losing its unique role as a platform for inter-Christian dialogue.

During the meeting, the Russian delegation raised concerns about the attempted seizure of a cathedral in Chernivtsi, Ukraine. Metropolitan Anthony recounts:

At the initiative of the Russian Orthodox Church delegation, an extended discussion took place on the situation of the canonical Church in Ukraine. Just before this discussion, horrifying footage from Chernivtsi circulated worldwide, showing militants supported by the so-called "Orthodox Church of Ukraine", a Ukrainian schismatic group, attempting to seize a cathedral. This was accompanied by the beating of clergy, including the ruling bishop of the Chernivtsi Diocese, Metropolitan Meletiy (Yegorenko). Many Central Committee members saw these images.

Scandinavian Protestant representatives countered with claims of nearly 20,000 Ukrainian children forcibly displaced—a claim that Russia hotly contests. According to Metropolitan Anthony:

Representatives of some Scandinavian Protestant churches attempted to push the Central Committee to adopt a statement regarding the alleged forced transfer of Ukrainian children to the Russian Federation. The document contained wildly exaggerated figures: nearly 20,000 children were cited as victims of so-called forced relocation. However, when the discussion turned to the substance of the issue, we reminded the Committee that during the latest round of negotiations between Russia and Ukraine, the Russian side was provided with a list of children allegedly relocated to Russia, which numbered just over 300. The discrepancy was glaring, and we pointed out that the authors of this biased document likely relied on unverified reports from politicized media.

Both issues were recorded in the minutes and referred to the WCC President for further investigation.

Metropolitan Anthony lamented the WCC’s focus on political conditions, particularly a draft document suggesting peace negotiations between Russia and Ukraine should not “reward the aggressor.” He argued this oversteps the WCC’s spiritual mandate, urging a focus on supporting suffering Christians.

The Russian delegation opposed the document but was absent during its final discussion, with their dissent merely noted.

Sources at the WCC told Orthodox Times that, despite the tense atmosphere, the Russian delegation was more engaged than at the 2022 General Assembly in Karlsruhe.

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