Christian Vision. About us

Christian Vision for Belarus, short name: Christian Vision.

Civic organisation uniting clergy, theologians and activists of the Orthodox, Roman Catholic, Greek Catholic and Evangelical churches in Belarus and abroad. It was established in September 2020 to coordinate informational, analytical, human rights, social, cultural, diplomatic, scholarly and pastoral work in the context of the deepening political crisis in Belarus, and – from February 2022 – Russian aggression against Ukraine.

The Christian Vision’s aims are: the preservation of dignity and human rights in Belarus; democratic development of the country; national revival; interfaith dialogue and cooperation; stopping repressions against civil society; observing the principles of the rule of law; justice and non-discrimination; establishing a just and stable peace in the region; encouraging national dialogue and international reconciliation.

Areas of Christian Vision’s work:

1. Developing Christian social teaching and political theology, and formulating a Christian outlook – relevant to the contemporary Belarusian social context – on humanity, society and politics.
2. Information activities: publicising news from the life of religious communities, their interaction with political entities and society, both in Belarus and in the diaspora; providing comments and analytics.
3. Strengthening the potential of churches and other religious organisations as subjects of civil society; promoting theological and civic education of laity and clergy, their networking; expanding the participation of the laity, including women, in formulating the churches’ public discourse and activities in the public sphere; supporting the work of religious activists and communities under the repressive regime.
4. Supporting Belarusian Christian activists, leaders, communities, projects and media in Belarus.
5. Monitoring and documenting the persecution of Belarusian Christian activists; researching their needs, providing informational support; legal, visa, financial, as well as relocation assistance.
6. Supporting Christian political prisoners and their families, and solidarity campaigns with political prisoners; rehabilitation of political prisoners; informing civil society of the problems of Belarusian political prisoners; cooperation with human rights organisations and the democratic movement for encouraging diplomatic efforts for the release and rehabilitation of political prisoners.
7. Supporting Belarusian Christian figures, communities and projects in the diaspora: developing pastoral, social and cultural activities, cooperating with other Belarusian organisations in the diaspora, with local churches, media and society.
8. Maintaining the Belarusian agenda within the international Christian community: interaction with Christian media, churches, leaders and ecumenical organisations; informing them about the situation in Belarus, persecution of Christian activists and communities, and activities of Christians and churches for encouraging civic development and democratic transformations.
9. Interacting and cooperating with other organisations of the democratic movement, as well as independent media; increasing the visibility of Christians within the democratic movement; providing the democratic movement, media, and research organisations with materials and expertise in the field of Christian social teaching, freedom of religion, and religious organisations’ work.
10. Project Christians Against War: cooperation with Ukrainian Christians and churches, as well as with Russian anti-war Christian activists for promoting a just peace, stopping Russian aggression against Ukraine, formulating a common Christian position about war and anti-war activities, documenting the reactions of churches and church leaders to the war, monitoring persecutions for anti-war and pro-Ukrainian views, assisting the Christians who suffered from a such persecution.
11. Countering the propaganda of violence, hatred, and extremism; providing theological criticism and deconstruction of pseudo-Christian political narratives and mythologies.

On 16 August 2023, the Miory district court recognised the Christian Vision’s Telegram channel as extremist. And again, on 7 September 2023, the Lida district court recognised the Christian Vision’s Telegram channel as containing extremist materials. Also, the channel’s old logo of “a cross wrapped in two cornflowers” was recognized as extremist. On the same day, the Christian Vision’s Instagram, Facebook, Twitter and VK accounts were recognized as extremist materials by the Kastryčnicki district court of Viciebsk. On 7 March 2024, the Miory district court of Viciebsk region recognised the Christian Vision’s account in Odnoklassniki as extremist material.

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

Address: Kalvariu g. 125 08221 Vilnius Lithuania

Bank account:

IBAN: LT403500010014904527 SWIFT/BIC EVIULT2VXXX Paysera LT, UAB

Bank address: Pilaitės pr. 16, Vilnius, LT-04352, Lithuania

Website: https://belarus2020.churchby.info/

Telegram: https://t.me/christianvision

Email: christian.vision.by@gmail.com

Bot: https://t.me/christianvisionBot

Christian Vision’s statements: https://belarus2020.churchby.info/zayavleniya-hristianskoj-vizii/