Latest news with #EasternOrthodoxChristianity
Epoch Times
03-05-2025
- Politics
- Epoch Times
Parents' Rights Are Making a Comeback
Commentary The right to opt out one's children from studying a sinister collection of sexually explicit storybooks in suburban Maryland, and the right to opt in to a Catholic Virtual charter school in Oklahoma, were heard last month at the Supreme Court. That these two cases are under review by the high court is a strong indication that—after decades of being ignored by our educational system and the courts—parental rights are back. The first case, Objections were raised by parents from faith traditions including Catholicism, Eastern Orthodox Christianity, and Islam. Their religious views do not endorse the ideologies pushed in the collection and they don't want their children indoctrinated. When their pleas to opt their young children out of this curriculum were rejected by their school board, they A district court When it comes to protecting the interests of parents in their children's education and religious formation, there is no better guardian than this Supreme Court. Just think back to 2020 when the Court Related Stories 4/27/2025 4/22/2025 39 amici filed briefs with the Supreme Court in support of the Montgomery County parents' simple quest to shield their children from what is 'antithetical to what they teach at home.' The Trump administration also Like some of the objecting parents in Montgomery County, many parents of faith are also unable to afford the tuition to send their children to private religious schools and similarly find themselves trapped by official ideology. The Archdiocese of Oklahoma City and the Diocese of Tulsa responded to their plight, planning to operate St. Isidore of Seville Catholic Virtual School as a charter school. While the Oklahoma Statewide Virtual Charter School Board Clearly the Oklahoma Attorney General and state supreme court haven't been paying much attention to the Supreme Court in recent years. In addition to invalidating Montana's discriminatory scholarship program, the Court in 2022 found that Maine Just as excluding religious schools from scholarships and vouchers is an unconstitutional form of religious discrimination, so too is categorically denying an otherwise qualified religious school from charter school certification simply because they are religious. This Supreme Court has made clear time and again that the failure to respect religious freedom in education is odious to the guarantees of the Constitution. Although some local school boards and state officials seem to be ignoring this, parents of faith are not willing to put up with it any longer. And now, finally, it seems that they have the support of the most powerful institutions in the land. From Views expressed in this article are opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times.
The Independent
23-02-2025
- Politics
- The Independent
Ecumenical Orthodox patriarch backs Ukraine's sovereignty in Mass marking 3 years of war
The top figure in Eastern Orthodox Christianity on Sunday declared that 'Ukraine's sovereignty is not up for debate, nor can it be negotiated under the guise of diplomacy,' as he celebrated Mass in Istanbul on the eve of the third anniversary of Russia 's war in Ukraine. Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew of Constantinople, who is considered the 'first among equals' in Eastern Orthodoxy, said any future peace agreement 'must include Ukraine as an equal participant.' He praised Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy for his 'tireless effort' to defend the country's independence. Most Ukrainians identify as Orthodox Christians, though the country remains split between an independent church based in Kyiv and another aligned with Moscow. Bartholomew, who has consistently shown support for Ukraine since the war began, recognized the Orthodox Church of Ukraine as independent from Moscow in 2019 — a move that prompted Russian Patriarch Kirill and the Russian Orthodox Church to sever contact. 'No force can extinguish the spirit of the people who refuse to be broken,' Bartholomew said in his sermon at a Mass attended by relatives and friends of Ukrainian soldiers who are missing or believed to be held in Russian captivity. 'No nation has the right to force its will upon another, and no power can erase a people's history.' The service drew tears from the participating Ukrainians. Among them was Tetiana Tantsiura, whose husband Oleg Naradko, a soldier in Ukraine's 115th Mechanized Brigade, went missing in action in July 2022. 'It's hard to talk about,' Tantsiura told the Associated Press, 'He disappeared July 2022. Until this time, the current year, I don't know anything. I only hope that he is alive, and he will return in Ukraine.' Although Russian President Vladimir Putin has tried to justify the invasion of Ukraine in part as a defense of the Moscow-oriented Orthodox Church, leaders of both Ukrainian Orthodox factions — and the country's significant Catholic minority — have strongly condemned the war. Ukraine's consul general to Istanbul, Nedilskyi Roman, thanked the patriarch for his 'personal and spiritual' support to Ukraine. 'Your prayers have given us the strength to stand and fight the insidious enemy for 3 years. Thank you for your personal and spiritual support to millions of Ukrainians around the world who were forced to leave their homes to save the lives of their children," Roman said.
Yahoo
23-02-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Ecumenical Orthodox patriarch backs Ukraine's sovereignty in Mass marking 3 years of war
ISTANBUL (AP) — The top figure in Eastern Orthodox Christianity on Sunday declared that 'Ukraine's sovereignty is not up for debate, nor can it be negotiated under the guise of diplomacy,' as he celebrated Mass in Istanbul on the eve of the third anniversary of Russia's war in Ukraine. Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew of Constantinople, who is considered the 'first among equals' in Eastern Orthodoxy, said any future peace agreement 'must include Ukraine as an equal participant.' He praised Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy for his 'tireless effort' to defend the country's independence. Most Ukrainians identify as Orthodox Christians, though the country remains split between an independent church based in Kyiv and another aligned with Moscow. See for yourself — The Yodel is the go-to source for daily news, entertainment and feel-good stories. By signing up, you agree to our Terms and Privacy Policy. Bartholomew, who has consistently shown support for Ukraine since the war began, recognized the Orthodox Church of Ukraine as independent from Moscow in 2019 — a move that prompted Russian Patriarch Kirill and the Russian Orthodox Church to sever contact. 'No force can extinguish the spirit of the people who refuse to be broken,' Bartholomew said in his sermon at a Mass attended by relatives and friends of Ukrainian soldiers who are missing or believed to be held in Russian captivity. 'No nation has the right to force its will upon another, and no power can erase a people's history.' The service drew tears from the participating Ukrainians. Among them was Tetiana Tantsiura, whose husband Oleg Naradko, a soldier in Ukraine's 115th Mechanized Brigade, went missing in action in July 2022. 'It's hard to talk about,' Tantsiura told the Associated Press, 'He disappeared July 2022. Until this time, the current year, I don't know anything. I only hope that he is alive, and he will return in Ukraine.' Although Russian President Vladimir Putin has tried to justify the invasion of Ukraine in part as a defense of the Moscow-oriented Orthodox Church, leaders of both Ukrainian Orthodox factions — and the country's significant Catholic minority — have strongly condemned the war. Ukraine's consul general to Istanbul, Nedilskyi Roman, thanked the patriarch for his 'personal and spiritual' support to Ukraine. 'Your prayers have given us the strength to stand and fight the insidious enemy for 3 years. Thank you for your personal and spiritual support to millions of Ukrainians around the world who were forced to leave their homes to save the lives of their children," Roman said.
Washington Post
23-02-2025
- Politics
- Washington Post
Ecumenical Orthodox patriarch backs Ukraine's sovereignty in Mass marking 3 years of war
ISTANBUL — The top figure in Eastern Orthodox Christianity on Sunday declared that 'Ukraine's sovereignty is not up for debate, nor can it be negotiated under the guise of diplomacy,' as he celebrated Mass in Istanbul on the eve of the third anniversary of Russia's war in Ukraine. Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew of Constantinople, who is considered the 'first among equals' in Eastern Orthodoxy, said any future peace agreement 'must include Ukraine as an equal participant.' He praised Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy for his 'tireless effort' to defend the country's independence.
Associated Press
23-02-2025
- Politics
- Associated Press
Ecumenical Orthodox patriarch backs Ukraine's sovereignty in Mass marking 3 years of war
ISTANBUL (AP) — The top figure in Eastern Orthodox Christianity on Sunday declared that 'Ukraine's sovereignty is not up for debate, nor can it be negotiated under the guise of diplomacy,' as he celebrated Mass in Istanbul on the eve of the third anniversary of Russia's war in Ukraine. Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew of Constantinople, who is considered the 'first among equals' in Eastern Orthodoxy, said any future peace agreement 'must include Ukraine as an equal participant.' He praised Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy for his 'tireless effort' to defend the country's independence. Most Ukrainians identify as Orthodox Christians, though the country remains split between an independent church based in Kyiv and another aligned with Moscow. Bartholomew, who has consistently shown support for Ukraine since the war began, recognized the Orthodox Church of Ukraine as independent from Moscow in 2019 — a move that prompted Russian Patriarch Kirill and the Russian Orthodox Church to sever contact. 'No force can extinguish the spirit of the people who refuse to be broken,' Bartholomew said in his sermon at a Mass attended by relatives and friends of Ukrainian soldiers who are missing or believed to be held in Russian captivity. 'No nation has the right to force its will upon another, and no power can erase a people's history.' The service drew tears from the participating Ukrainians. Among them was Tetiana Tantsiura, whose husband Oleg Naradko, a soldier in Ukraine's 115th Mechanized Brigade, went missing in action in July 2022. 'It's hard to talk about,' Tantsiura told the Associated Press, 'He disappeared July 2022. Until this time, the current year, I don't know anything. I only hope that he is alive, and he will return in Ukraine.' Although Russian President Vladimir Putin has tried to justify the invasion of Ukraine in part as a defense of the Moscow-oriented Orthodox Church, leaders of both Ukrainian Orthodox factions — and the country's significant Catholic minority — have strongly condemned the war. Ukraine's consul general to Istanbul, Nedilskyi Roman, thanked the patriarch for his 'personal and spiritual' support to Ukraine. 'Your prayers have given us the strength to stand and fight the insidious enemy for 3 years. Thank you for your personal and spiritual support to millions of Ukrainians around the world who were forced to leave their homes to save the lives of their children,' Roman said.
