Interfaith Solutions to the Ukraine Conflict
The Ukraine conflict is the single most damaging and disruptive circumstance in the world today. The humanitarian tragedy is unspeakable and its ruinous impact on international relations is likewise catastrophic.
Conflict should never arise (it should be averted when tensions first become evident), and should be stopped instantly once failures overtake sense. The longer conflict persists the more difficult it is to stop and the longer its deeply deleterious after-effects continue.
Both harmony and conflict above all are spiritual in origin and nature. The will to harmony or the will to conflict then activates momentum starting with the first action taken.
The fountainhead of guidelines for deciding toward harmony is found in the spiritual and religious resources of our race. The predominant spirituality at the cultural roots of the combatant nations in the Ukraine conflict is the Orthodox branch of Christianity. This community (Orthodox Christianity) above all others must be the alpha responsible establishment to bring about the end of the Ukraine war.
Working with this resource (Orthodox Christianity) to guide the end of the Ukraine war is currently the primary mission of Twelve Gates Foundation
Read our conference plans here, and see our resources and team here.
Frank Kaufmann
March 5, 2023
Prayer
This prayer was offered to close a work meeting on the project 
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Concept Paper
Twelve Gates Ukraine Peace Project
Date: September 13, 2023
Author: Frank Kaufmann
Introduction
Wars are complex events involving multiple factors and various actors from different sectors of society. One of the most central causes and aspects that often goes unnoticed in war and conflict is the religious and spiritual dimension. The need for religious institutions and the authoritative voices of spiritual leaders and scholars is often overlooked in efforts to end conflict. The war in Ukraine cannot be solved absent the voice and authority of religious leaders and scholars, in this particular case, most preeminently Orthodox leaders.
The Religious Sector’s Role in Ending Wars
The fundamental teachings and purpose of all religions is to create peace and elevate the sanctity of human life. For this reason religious leaders and scholars should be at the forefront of setting the example and offering viable paths for the immediate cessation of aggression that leads to loss of life, human suffering, and the destruction of sacred cultural heritage.
The Ukraine War and Religious Involvement
The war in Ukraine, which began with Vladimir Putin’s decision to resolve geopolitical concerns through military aggression and invasion, has persisted for over a year and a half. The conflict has caused a staggering loss of life and casualties, and rapidly escalated into a global war involving multiple nations and a calamitous waste of material resources.
Among the religious groups most primarily entangled in this war are various branches of Orthodox Christianity, including the Russian Orthodox Church, different branches of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, the Belorussian Orthodox Church, the Ecumenical Patriarch in Constantinople, and others.
The Call for Unity and Peaceful Relations
Leaders and scholars from these Orthodox Christian communities must express that Godâs calling and Christâs teachings carry an obligation to come forward as first examples and first voices of peace to end the Ukraine War. These heroes can lead by example, embodying the capacity for peaceful relations, even across national and ecclesiastical divisions.
One of the primary conditions for this war to end is if Orthodox leaders courageously engage in face to face ecumenical embrace under Christ, pioneering an atmosphere of love and unity guided by the Holy Spirit. These meetings can function as the first substantial steps towards healing and reconciliation within the broader family of Christian Orthodoxy, and from there extend to the complex secular and geopolitical matrix fueling this unGodly war.
The Role of Twelve Gates Foundation
Twelve Gates Foundation is committed to supporting the steady progression of these necessary ecumenical meetings. We have done this precise work in every corner of the world for over 40 years. We are unwaveringly committed to supporting this mission of ending the tragedy of the Ukraine war by this means. The work in the end however, will come only from the genius and valor of Orthodox religious leaders and scholars attaining unity, revealing the will of God, and providing insights into the practical steps needed to restore peace.
Trac5 Peace Design from Twelve Gates Ukraine Peace Team, Mark Siljander
Trac5 Executive Summary on … by Frank Kaufmann
