Religion and the Russian Threat, Yesterday and Today | 29th Forum 2000 Conference

The role of religion in authoritarian societies can vary significantly. There are religious leaders who are loyal instruments of authoritarian regimes. At the same time, however, groups are emerging within religions that provide platforms for intellectual and moral resistance to oppression and injustice by such regimes. Such examples can be found during the Cold War in the Christian churches of Poland, Czechoslovakia, and East Germany. And it is no different in today's Russia. What role do church leaders play in the Kremlin's imperialist policy? Are religious platforms critical of the regime emerging in Russia? What role can churches play in the democratization process in countries that are breaking free from Russian hegemony? MODERATOR • Tomáš Sedláček, Director, Václav Havel Library, Czechia SPEAKERS • His Beatitude Epiphanius I of Ukraine, Metropolitan of Kyiv and All Ukraine, Ukraine • Ketevan Chachava, Executive Director, Center for Development and Democracy, Member, International Coalition for Democratic Renewal, Georgia • Boban Batrićević, Executive Director, WestBalkanNet, Member, International Coalition for Democratic Renewal, Montenegro For more information about our activities visit our website: https://www.forum2000.cz