A public lecture by His Beatitude Sviatoslav Shevchuk, who leads the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church (UGCC), features Prof. Timothy Snyder, a renowned American historian, professor, and New York Times bestselling author, will take place in Toronto.
The event is scheduled for Feb. 25 at 7 p.m. local time at the Isabel Bader Theatre at Victoria College at the University of Toronto.
A former professor at Yale University, Snyder gave a free series of online lectures on Ukrainian history and has lambasted Russia’s invasion of neighboring Ukraine.
Focusing on the ongoing issues of war, religion, and ethics, the lecture will provide valuable insights into the motivations behind Russia’s aggression against Ukraine, the organizers said.
“As the war enters its fourth year, their conversation will focus on how religion is key in decoding the motives for Russia’s aggression against Ukraine,” the announcement said. “They will also discuss the ethical dimensions of the Judeo-Christian tradition as a way forward for peace.”
His beatitude Sviatoslav Shevchuk will share his personal experiences living under Soviet repression when the UGCC was declared the largest illegal Christian organization in the world.
“His experience growing up in this reality informs his moral authority as a voice for human dignity and peace, both in Ukraine and on the world stage. As a religious leader, he continues to draw wisdom from those who have suffered from the fallout of the war,” the organizers said.
Snyder will follow, building on His Beatitude’s remarks and focusing on the crucial role of religion in understanding the enemy’s motivations and exploring potential pathways to peace.
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The event is free, but pre-registration is required. You can register via the link.
The lecture is organized by the Sheptytsky Institute of Eastern Christian Studies a unit of the Regis St Michael’s Faculty of Theology in the University of St. Michael’s College, with the support of several Ukrainian and religious organizations, including the Ukrainian World Congress and the Ukrainian Canadian Congress.
Cover: Ukrainian Catholic Church
