Is Putin a Christian?? : The Russian Orthodox Church and a Christian response to the war in Ukraine

In this episode, Brittany tackles a rather serious topic this time around: Putin and the war between Russia and Ukraine. Putin’s actions are a mystery to many of her English students, prompting them to ask, “Is Putin really a Christian?” Putin seems to have strong support from the head of the Russian Orthodox Church, so what does that mean for the Church? Are Christians okay with this invasion of Ukraine and the commencing war? After some research, Brittany attempts to address these questions through her own understanding of the Bible, Jesus, and Christianity.

Music by Lesfm from Pixabay.

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Show Notes and References:

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“Why is Russia’s church backing Putin’s war? Church-state history gives a clue” (The Conversation)

“Why Did God Command the Invasion of Canaan in the Book of Joshua?” (The BibleProject)

“Russian Orthodox Church cuts ties with Constantinople” (The Guardian)

“Russian Orthodox church in Amsterdam announces split with Moscow” (The Guardian)

Chapters

• 0:00 Intro
• 0:59 Why am I talking about this sensitive topic?
• 6:21 A BRIEF History of the Russian Orthodox Church
• 19:53 What does the Bible say about invading other territories?
• 32:36 How should Christians respond to this situation?
• 39:05 Consider the "Sermon on the Mount"
• 46:04 So...is Putin a Christian? Is the Russian Orthodox Church a legitimate example of the Christian Church?
• 49:48 Take responsibility for your own knowledge and educate yourself.
• 54:00 Outro