Authorities exploiting church for own ends, dissident Orthodox priest says

September 28, BPN. “The authorities have instrumentalized the church in their own interests,” Alaksandr Šramko, a priest banished from the Russian Orthodox Church for his criticism of Moscow Patriarch Kirill, told BPN.

“The church, represented by its leadership, is often tempted to take the easiest path, that is, to submit to the authorities,” he said. “The hierarchs are bound to them by formal and informal obligations . . . but most importantly, they are more reliant on authorities than on the parishioners, so they follow the official line.”

The full version of the interview is available in Russian on our website, as well as on Pozіrk. Naviny pra Belarus pages on Telegram and Facebook.