Missionary practices and Christian identity in Eastern Europe explored
In the July 2025 edition of Vista Journal, we delve into the intricate relationship between the Orthodox Church and national identity in Eastern Europe, a connection that spans centuries and reflects the region's cultural and political dynamics.
The Orthodox Church, rooted in the Byzantine Empire, spread across Eastern Europe by the time of the Great Schism of 1054, which divided Western (Roman Catholic) and Eastern (Orthodox) Christianity. This schism was influenced by deep cultural, linguistic, and political differences, with Constantinople serving as the religious and political centre of the Byzantine Empire until its fall.
In the medieval era, the Orthodox Church became a pillar of emerging national and cultural identities. The Church of the East, organised as a national church under the Sasanian Empire in the 5th century, highlights how churches served as expressions of national or imperial identity early on.
The Russian Orthodox Church's development after the fall of Constantinople in 1453 is a key moment in the Orthodox-national identity nexus. With the election of Jonah of Moscow as metropolitan without Constantinople's blessing and the establishment of the Russian patriarchate a century later, Moscow claimed a leading Orthodox role, embodying the ideology of "Third Rome." This ideology pronounced Moscow as the spiritual successor to Rome and Constantinople, linking the Russian Orthodox Church to Russian national identity and state power to this day.
Following World War I and the fall of empires (Turkish, Austrian, Russian), the Orthodox Church's structure in Eastern Europe was profoundly reshaped in line with new national boundaries and emerging nation-states. Orthodox minorities in new republics established autonomous churches, some aligning with Constantinople, some remaining under Moscow. The Serbian Orthodox Church unified dioceses across newly formed Yugoslavia, reinforcing Serbian national unity under one patriarch. Romania consolidated its Orthodox dioceses into a new patriarchate reflecting its national borders, while Albania gained autocephaly, recognised by Constantinople in 1937, reflecting its national church identity.
These changes illustrate how the Orthodox Church served both religious and ethno-political roles, supporting national consciousness while adapting to political transformations in Eastern Europe.
Today, the Orthodox Church continues to function as a core element of national identity and political legitimacy across the region. The opportunity for Christian witness is immense due to demographic changes in Central and Eastern Europe with the arrival of migrants from the Far East.
Meanwhile, Evangelical denominations, usually part of the Evangelical Alliance, represent various denominations such as the Pentecostal Church, Baptist Church, Brethren Church, and others. Key questions include whether churches can recognise the opportunity, invite in those who are different, and include immigrants using unfamiliar languages and customs.
Alexandru Vlasin, a mentor and trainer with Barnabas International and a lecturer in the Faculty of Baptist Theology, Bucharest University, sheds light on these challenges and opportunities. The Orthodox Church's approach to mission includes the concepts of "martyria and diakonia," which mean to witness and to serve. However, there is tension between the Orthodox Church and Evangelical Churches due to differing views on evangelism and the role of the church.
For a deeper understanding of Evangelical encounters in Ukraine, one can refer to Catherine Wanner's "Missionaries of Faith and Culture: Evangelical Encounters in Ukraine." The Orthodox Church uses local languages and contextualises methods to relate to people in each nation. The Orthodox Church defines mission as being "identified with the tradition."
In conclusion, the historical evolution of the Orthodox Church in Eastern Europe is marked by the establishment of national churches tied to evolving empires, the institutionalisation and territorial realignment of Orthodox churches following major political upheavals, the fostering of national identity through church autocephaly, local ecclesiastical governance, and doctrinal distinctiveness, and the symbolic and practical adoption of religious ideology reinforcing state and national claims, notably in Russia with the "Third Rome" concept.
References: [1] Wanner, Catherine. (2007). Missionaries of Faith and Culture: Evangelical Encounters in Ukraine. Indiana University Press. [2] Stamoolis, James. (2003). Evangelical Dictionary of World Missions. InterVarsity Press. [3] Wanner, Catherine. (2007). Missionaries of Faith and Culture: Evangelical Encounters in Ukraine. Indiana University Press. [4] Stamoolis, James. (2003). Evangelical Dictionary of World Missions. InterVarsity Press.
In the face of demographic changes in Central and Eastern Europe with the arrival of migrants from the Far East, the opportunity for Christian witness is immense for both Orthodox Church and Evangelical denominations. The Orthodox Church's approach to mission emphasizes the concepts of "martyria and diakonia," which mean to witness and to serve, but there is tension between the Orthodox Church and Evangelical Churches due to differing views on evangelism and the role of the church. On the other hand, the development and growth of education and self-development are critical to bridge these differences and foster mutual understanding, collaboration, and joint mission efforts.
