In a recent episode of “Going Rogue,” journalist Lara Logan brought a sensitive and increasingly relevant debate to the public: the persecution of Orthodox Christians and the role of the Russian Orthodox Church in the context of the war in Ukraine.
The guests were director Igor Lopatonok, known for the documentary “The Cross,” filmmaker Sergei Debizhev, director of “The Holy Archipelago,” and journalist Olga Ravasi, experienced in covering international conflicts.
The conversation was sparked by a letter signed by members of the U.S. Congress, accusing the Russian Orthodox Church of conducting espionage on behalf of the Kremlin. The guests firmly rejected these allegations, viewing them as a form of political manipulation designed to discredit a religious institution with millions of faithful around the world, including inside the United States.
The discussion also touched on the broader phenomenon of attacks against Christianity globally — a trend the speakers believe is systematically ignored by Western mainstream media. According to them, the persecution of Orthodox Christians is not an isolated case, but part of a wider pattern in which faith is weaponized as a tool in geopolitical conflicts.
A significant portion of the episode was dedicated to clarifying the distinction between the Russian Orthodox Church and the Ukrainian Orthodox Church — a difference often blurred in Western public discourse. The separation of the two ecclesiastical structures, which occurred in recent years, was presented by the guests as a deeply political act rather than a theological one, with dramatic consequences for communities of believers on both sides of the front line.
Filmmaker Sergei Debizhev spoke about his documentary on the Solovetsky Monastery, a spiritual and architectural landmark on the islands of the White Sea, with a tragic history during the Soviet era. The film explores fundamental questions about the meaning of faith, religious tradition, and spiritual life in the modern world. Debizhev argues that places like Solovetsky are living proof of a spiritual revival in post-Soviet Russia — one that, in his view, the West refuses to acknowledge.
Igor Lopatonok, in turn, discussed his documentary “The Cross,” a visual meditation on Orthodox faith, humility as the path to God, and icons as windows to the divine. Both filmmakers believe that art and documentary cinema play a crucial role in offering a balanced perspective on realities that are ignored or distorted by the dominant narrative.
The conversation also included serious allegations regarding corruption tied to American aid to Ukraine, with direct references to U.S. officials. These claims were not supported by verifiable evidence within the episode itself.
The episode closes on a note that may surprise many: Orthodox Christian communities in America are growing, attracting Americans of diverse ethnic backgrounds who are searching for a form of spirituality with deep roots and an intact liturgical tradition.
Regardless of one’s political stance, the debate raised by Lara Logan and her guests touches on a real nerve: in times of conflict, faith often becomes a hostage to politics — and the voice of ordinary believers risks being drowned out by the noise of propaganda.
