The Evolution of Ukrainian Justice Under the Influence of the Church: For the 30th Anniversary of Ukraine’s Independence
Summary: 1. Introduction. – 2. The Influence of the Church on the Formation of Domestic Legal and Political System. – 3. The System of Justice in Matters within the Jurisdiction of the Orthodox Church. – 4. The Scope of Ecclesiastical and Judicial Jurisdiction in Kyivan Rus. – 5. Features of the Church-Judicial Process. – 6. Conclusions.
Abstract
The normative provision of ecclesiastical jurisdiction, which was formed in the first centuries after Christianisation, was reflected in the complex of sources of law. The symbiosis of national and foreign, ecclesiastical and secular regulations, as well as the need to understand Greek sources, gave rise to the need to create their own codification collections called Kormcha Books, which became the main source of law for ecclesiastical practice in Ukraine.
The jurisdiction of the Orthodox Church in the Ukrainian territories included the administration of justice in specific categories of cases, which are analysed in detail in this article. Subsequently, the separation of jurisdiction between church and secular authorities formed the basis for the formation of tense state-church relations, which provided each other with political support. The influence of the Orthodoxy on the formation of the judiciary is analysed, as the church institution becomes one of its structural elements, as well as the influence on the legal system because religion is a catalyst for the formation of new legal norms that meet the principles of justice and morality. As a result, the influence of the church on the formation of civil society in modern Ukraine, which should operate on religious and ethical values, becomes obvious.
The structure of the church judiciary in Kyivan Rus had a three-tier system, which can be assessed as a prototype for the formation of the later secular system of justice in modern Ukraine.
The article also analyses the jurisdiction of the ecclesiastical court in Kyivan Rus, which was clearly defined, enshrined state origin in the sources of ecclesiastical law, and remained unchanged throughout the existence of the state.
Additionally, it traces the process of consideration of cases in the ecclesiastical courts of the Kyivan Rus state, which had special features. The first is that in Kyivan Rus, slaves and servants who were not subjects of secular legal relations had the right to take part in the process. It seems probable that the change in approaches to determining the circle of participants in the church-judicial process was due to the need to spread Christian ideas, precepts, and principles to the general public, including servants and slaves. For the Orthodox Church, which promoted its doctrine and came under the rule of polytheism, the priority was to gain recognition and public support, to conduct missionary and educational activities, and to use cultural and educational influence to root its religion and canonical precepts in all parts of the Kyivan Rus state.
About Authors
Dr. Sc., Assoc. Prof. at Law School
Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv
i.matseliukh@knu.ua
https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3706-6428
CONFLICTS OF INTEREST
The author declares no conflict of interest of relevance to this topic. Although the author serves at same institution as one of the editors of AJEE, which may cause a potential conflict or the perception of bias, the final decisions for the publication of this article was handled by the editors, including choice of peer reviewers, and Editorial Board Members, who are not affiliated to the same institution.
DISCLAIMER
The author declares that she was not involved in any bodies of the Church or any other religious organisation.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
The author would like to express her gratitude to the reviewers and editors of the journal and to the English editor, Sarah White.
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В цій статті досліджуються чинники, що істотно вплинули на формування Української правової системи, структуру органів судочинства зокрема та значення для державно-політичного розвитку загалом – це, передусім, вплив православної церкви.
Нормативне забезпечення церковної юрисдикції, що сформувалося в перші століття після християнізації, відобразилося в комплексі джерел права. Симбіоз нормативних актів національного та іноземного походження, церковного та світського характеру, а також необхідність розуміння грецьких джерел породило необхідність створення власних кодифікаційних збірок під назвою Кормчі книги, які стали основним джерелом права для церковно-судової практики в Україні?.
До відання православної церкви на українських землях входило здійснення правосуддя у конкретних категоріях справ, що були детально проаналізовані. В подальшому, розмежування юрисдикції у справах між церковною та світською владою лягло в основу?? (почему єто сейчас важно)
Структура церковного судоустрою на Русі мала триланкову систему, що можна оцінити як певний прототип формування в подальшому світської системи судочинства в сучасній Україні.
Проаналізовано юрисдикції церковного суду на Русі, яка була чітко визначена, закріплена джерелами церковного права державного походження і впродовж усього періоду існування держави залишалася незмінною.
How to cite it?
- I Matseliukh ‘The Evolution of Ukrainian Justice Under the Influence of the Church: For the 30th Anniversary of Ukraine’s Independence’ 2021 3(11) Access to Justice in Eastern Europe 8-22. DOI: 10.33327/AJEE-18-4.3-a000068
