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UCAF

UKRAINIAN CHRISTIAN ACADEMIC SOCIETY

 

History of UCAS

The Ukrainian Christian Academic Society (UCAS) was founded in 2005 by the Institute of Ecumenical Studies at the Ukrainian Catholic University (Lviv) and the European Humanities Research Center at the National University of Kyiv-Mohyla Academy (Kyiv).

On March 11, 2005, a preparatory meeting of Christians scholars took place at the premises of the National University of Kyiv-Mohyla Academy in order to prepare for the official foundation of the Society in June 2005. Three major issues were discussed:

UCAS’s concept;

a priority of activity;

criteria for admission to UCAS.

During the organizational plenary meeting, three main directions of the Society's activity were outlined:

scientific research: in the theological and ecclesiastical sphere – the study of transdisciplinary issues concerning the future of the Kyivan Church, in the anthropological and social field – emphasizing the dignity of a human person;

open dialogue in love and respect for one another, to take into account the other party's position in the judgments and comments;

communication and informing the general public audience about contemporary ecumenical studies.

It was decided to hold joint meetings, organize seminars and conferences, invite the members of the Kyivan Church Study Group for a closer acquaintance and exchange of experience.

The official founding of the Society took place during the inauguration of the Institute of Ecumenical Studies and the international conference "Friendship as an Ecumenical Value", held on June 11-14, 2005 in Lviv.

The Ukrainian Christian Academic Society is open to scholars of all Christian traditions represented in Ukraine. The Society is called to reflect on the appointment of the Kyivan Church, an issue that is still poorly understood in Ukraine and the world. The identity of the Kyivan Church lies in the preservation of a living tradition, despite the painful historical circumstances and the confessional divisions of the modern era.

Membership in the Society is open to all people of goodwill, who have an academic degree and publications, are actively involved in the church life of the denomination to which they belong. The Society provides the status of a  member of UCAS and an honorary member of UCAS. As an honorary member of the Society may be accepted especially prominent figures of the ecumenical movement or large donors to the projects of the Society.

UCAS’s seminars:

«Yelchanin Readings» dedicated to Fr. Olexander Yelchaninov (Mykolaiv, May 2006)

Seminar dedicated to Hryhorii Skovoroda (Kharkiv, April 2007)

Seminar dedicated to St. Dimitry of Rostov (Kyiv, October 2007)

International Seminar «M. O Poltoratskyi and Paris Theological School» (Odessa, May 2008)

«Kyivan Church: Ecclesial Tradition – Historiographical Issue – Ecumenical Perspective» (Kyiv, September 2008)

«Social consequences of the wounds of the past» (Lviv, October 2009)

«Memory, history, identity» (Lviv, October 2014)

Round table «Spiritual formation of a Christian and theological education in Ukraine» (Lviv, October 2015)

«The nature of the Church and the importance of baptism as a “door to enter the Church» (Lviv, October 2015)

«Ways of reconciliation for the Kyivan Church» (Lviv, 2016)

«The unity of Christians in Ukraine – a new format» (Kyiv, June 2017, Lviv, October 2017)

«Ecumenical challenges of mixed marriages» (Kyiv, June 2018)

«Youth and the Church – the young Church» (Lviv, October 2018)

«The idea of the Kyivan Church: vision and reception» (Kyiv, May 2019.)

«Models of the Kyivan Church’s unity: towards the restoration of communion» (Lviv, October 2019)