Christian Vision (Belarus) Explained

Christian Vision is a non-governmental organisation for formulating and supporting Christians’ collaborative work for overcoming the political crisis and securing reconciliation. Its members are clergy, theologians, and laity of the Orthodox, Greek-Catholic, Roman-Catholic and Protestant Churches in Belarus and in the diaspora.

Status and membership

The Christian Vision group was established on 9 September 2020 as a working group of the Coordination Council and informal interdenominational association open to the Council members to join.[1] The statement announcing the group's establishment was initially signed by 24 lay and ordained persons from the main Christian denominations of Belarus.[2]

The organisation is registered as a public institution in Lithuania under the name Christian Vision for Belarus.[3]

Natallia Vasilevich is the group's moderator.

Activities

Christian Vision monitors and publicises the facts of persecution of the people of faith based on their believes or political views,[4] [5] and of violence[6] and infringement of their rights in the place of detention.[7] The reports form the basis of the ongoing Monitoring of the Persecution on Religious Grounds During the Political Crisis in Belarus in Russian and English. The reports have been used by the national and international media outlets for their own reporting.[8] [9]

The group mobilised and reported on the words and works of the laity and clergy in support of nonviolence, restoring the rule of law and releasing political prisoners.[10] [11]

The group encouraged theologians,[12] ordained ministers[13] and others in Belarus and abroad to develop a theological reflective perspective on the protests and persecutions in Belarus. An unprecedented for Belarus example of such a reflection was Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya's letter to the Pope Francis in response to his Encyclical.[14]

It organised and supported - in Belarus and abroad - campaigns for political prisoners, persecuted believers and religious communities in Belarus.[15]

In March 2022, the group began researching anti-war initiatives in Russia, monitoring the persecution of Christians for their anti-war views and publicising it as the Christians Against The War resource.

Persecution

In August and September 2023, two courts in Belarus designated the group's Telegram channel as an 'extremist material'.[16]

In October 2023, the group's Instagram, Facebook and Twitter accounts were recognised as extremist materials by a decision of the Kastryčnicki District Court of Viciebsk.

External links

References

  1. Web site: 2020-09-11 . Statement of the Coordination Council "Christian Vision" Working Group . https://web.archive.org/web/20210525154050/https://belarus2020.churchby.info/statement-of-the-coordination-council-christian-vision-working-group/ . 25 May 2021 . 2021-06-09 . Church and the Political Crisis in Belarus . The Christian Vision Working Group of the Coordination Council . en.
  2. Web site: 9 September 2020 . Рабочая группа "Христианское видение" – Царква і палітычны крызіс у Беларусі . The Christian Vision Working Group . https://web.archive.org/web/20210420194316/https://belarus2020.churchby.info/rabochaya-gruppa-xristianskoe-videnie/ . 20 April 2021 . 2021-06-09 . Church and the Political Crisis in Belarus . The Christian Vision Working Group of the Coordination Council . ru-RU . 2021-09-09.
  3. Web site: Christian Vision. About Us . 2024-08-19 . Царква і палітычны крызіс у Беларусі / Church and the Political Crisis in Belarus.
  4. Web site: 2020-09-12. The joint statement about the brutal detention of women near the Red Church on September 11. 2021-06-09. Church and the Political Crisis in Belarus. The Christian Vision Working Group of the Coordination Council.
  5. Web site: 2020-12-03. Statement of the Christian Vision Group of the Coordination Council regarding the Persecution of Fr Viachaslau Barok. 2021-06-09. Church and the Political Crisis in Belarus. The Christian Vision Working Group of the Coordination Council.
  6. Web site: 2021-05-22. Statement of the Christian Vision group of the Coordination Council regarding the death in the Škloŭ prison of a political prisoner Vitold Ashurak. 2021-06-09. Church and the Political Crisis in Belarus. The Christian Vision Working Group of the Coordination Council.
  7. Web site: A Monitoring of the Persecution in Belarus of People on Religious Grounds During the Political Crisis (UPDATING). 2021-06-09. Church and the Political Crisis in Belarus. 25 February 2021 . The Christian Vision Working Group of the Coordination Council.
  8. Web site: Luxmoore. Jonathan. 2021-05-26. Closed trial, death in prison: Belarus increases pressure on opposition. 2021-06-09. Crux. en-CA.
  9. Web site: Luxmoore. Jonathan. 2021-04-13. Belarus Catholic officials silent, but some Catholics show support quietly. 2021-06-09. Crux. en-CA.
  10. Web site: 2020-11-25. The letter from clergy and laity to the Belarusian Christians. 2021-06-09. Church and the Political Crisis in Belarus. The Christian Vision Working Group of the Coordination Council.
  11. Web site: 2020-11-25. "For whenever I speak, I cry out; I proclaim violence and destruction." Open letter from Christians in Belarus. 2021-06-09. Church and the Political Crisis in Belarus. The Christian Vision Working Group of the Coordination Council.
  12. Web site: Deane. David. 2021-01-14. David Deane "A Dictator friendly Pope? Lukashenko and Pope Francis". 2021-06-09. Church and the Political Crisis in Belarus. The Christian Vision Working Group of the Coordination Council.
  13. Web site: Barok. Viachaslau. 2020-11-15. Pope Francis, how to stop the war in Belarus. How to stop evil? – Царква і палітычны крызіс у Беларусі. 2021-06-09. Church and the Political Crisis in Belarus. The Christian Vision Working Group of the Coordination Council.
  14. Web site: Tsikhanouskaya. Sviatlana. 2020-12-04. Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya's letter to the Holy Father Francis. 2021-06-09. Church and the Political Crisis in Belarus. The Christian Vision Working Group of the Coordination Council.
  15. Web site: 2021-03-25. Bosse-Huber: "In the solitude of detention, every letter inspires hope". EKD backs letter-writing to political prisoners in Belarus. – Царква і палітычны крызіс у Беларусі. 2021-06-09. Church and the Political Crisis in Belarus. The Christian Vision Working Group of the Coordination Council.
  16. Web site: September 11, 2023 . Телеграм-канал «Хрысціянская Візія» признан экстремистскими материалами . https://web.archive.org/web/20231125195307/https://reform.by/telegram-kanal-hryscijanskaja-vizija-priznan-jekstremistskimi-materialami . 2023-11-25 . . ru.

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