Religious Higher Education Institutions in Ukraine: The Evolution of the Problem and the Collision of the "Secular–Religious" Dichotomy

Authors

Serhii Kostiuchkov, Kherson State UniversityFollow
Vadym Slyusar, Zhytomyr Polytechnic State UniversityFollow
Lesya Chervona, Institute of Higher Education, National Academy of Pedagogical Sciences of UkraineFollow
Mykola Slyusar, Zhytomyr Polytechnic State University in ZhytomyrFollow

Author ORCID Identifier

Kostiuchkov:

0000-0003-1708-643X

Vadym Slyusar:

0000-0002-5593-0622

Chervona:

0000-0002-3036-3668

Mykola Slyusar:

0000-0002-1480-1111

Abstract

The article is devoted to institutional, legislative, philosophical and communicative analysis of the activities of religious higher education institutions in modern Ukraine, taking into account political, social, legal, religious and communicative contexts. The authors examine the demand for religious education in modern Ukraine, which demonstrates high internal dynamics and promising prospects for the development of the domestic religious educational space. It is emphasised that the functioning of religious higher education institutions in Ukraine is regulated by the principle of constitutional separation of education from religion, while at the same time basic legal norms create specific conditions for the functioning of the private religious education sector. Attention is paid to the development of religious higher education institutions in Ukraine, taking into account its orientation towards the European space with its focus on a pluralistic worldview, given the intrigue of double subtext, since in a secular state, the development of religious higher education institutions can be seen both as a demonstration of freedom of religion and as a violation of the law in relation to persons who do not profess any religion. The conclusion is made that positive developments in the development of Ukrainian religious higher education institutions are expectedly accompanied by a range of problems that are naturally integrated into the conflict between the dichotomy of «secular – religious».

Recommended Citation

Kostiuchkov, Serhii; Slyusar, Vadym; Chervona, Lesya; and Slyusar, Mykola (2026) "Religious Higher Education Institutions in Ukraine: The Evolution of the Problem and the Collision of the "Secular–Religious" Dichotomy," Occasional Papers on Religion in Eastern Europe: Vol. 46 : Iss. 3 , Article 7.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.55221/2693-2229.2701
Available at: https://digitalcommons.georgefox.edu/ree/vol46/iss3/7