From 1 to 3 December 2025, Helsinki will host the ecumenical conference Resisting Empire, Promoting Peace: Churches Confront the ‘Russian World’ ideology, dedicated to critically re-examining the “Russian World” concept and its role in contemporary conflicts.
Leading theologians, researchers and church figures from Finland, the United Kingdom, Lithuania, Ukraine and other countries will discuss how religious rhetoric is used to justify war, imperial expansion and political interference in neighbouring states.
Key topics include the theological roots of imperial thinking, the evolution of the idea of “Holy Russia”, its use in the speeches of Vladimir Putin, mechanisms through which war is framed in religious language, and how churches attempt to resist the politicisation of faith.
The programme features lectures on the links between nationalism and religion, discussions on the future of the global order amid authoritarianism and war, as well as interconfessional prayers for peace held in Helsinki’s churches.
The event is organised by the Conference of European Churches with the participation of Finnish and Ukrainian church leaders.
Keynote presentations:
- Prof. Regina Elsner (University of Mϋnster) — “Church and Empire: From domination to decolonisation”
- Prof. Katharina Kunter (University of Helsinki) — “From Ukraine’s Post-Soviet Transition to the Russian Invasion of 2022”
- Dr Juha Meriläinen (Evangelical Lutheran Church of Finland) — “The Holy Russia Ideology in the Speeches of President Putin”
Interrogating Theology – theological and ideological panels:
- Panel with church leaders from Ukraine — theological reflections on the concept of the “Russian World”
- Dr Pantelis Kalaitzidis (Volos Academy for Theological Studies) — “A Declaration on the Russian World Teaching”
- Dr Jelisei Heikkilä (Orthodox Church of Finland) — “Othering in the Russian World Ideology”
- Prof. Volodymyr Bureha (Kyiv Theological Academy, Ukrainian Orthodox Church) — “Theology in the service of Empire”
- Contribution from the Communion of Protestant Churches in Europe — reflections on the Protestant contribution to decolonising church thinking
Navigating Politics – political and interdisciplinary block:
- Prof. Milda Ališauskienė (Vytautas Magnus University, Lithuania / RELIDEM Consortium)
- Dr Talvikki Ahonen (Åbo Akademi University, Finland / RELIDEM Consortium)
- Prof. Heta Hurskainen (University of Eastern Finland)
- Dr Pavlo Smytsnyuk (The George Washington University, Pathways to Peace Steering Group)
— joint session on intersections of nationalism, identity and imperial practices
Democracy in Distress? Panel discussion on the global order:
- Prof. Petr Kratochvíl (Institute of International Relations Prague / CEC Governing Board)
- Dr Marietta D.C. van der Tol (University of Cambridge / Trinity College)
- Very Rev. Prof. Cyril Hovorun (Huffington Ecumenical Institute, Los Angeles / Sankt Ignatios Theological Academy)
— “Authoritarianism, war, and the future of global order”
The conference opens on 1 December at 16:00 and will continue for three days.
More details on registration and participation are available via the link:
https://ceceurope.org/storage/app/media/2025-news/Helsinki%20Conference.pdf
