The organization “The Seculars” asked Thomas Bremer, a German Catholic theologian and lecturer at the University of Münster, to analyze the conclusions of the “expert commission” of the SSEFC regarding the “links” it found between the UOC and the Moscow Patriarchate. On his Telegram channel “The Secularists” published a letter-response of the theologian, in which he stated that he considers the SSEFC document biased and such that it cannot be considered as confirmation of the church-canonical connection of the UOC with the Moscow Patriarchate.

Bremer noted that the fact that the UOC does not currently have a status accepted in Orthodoxy (autocephaly, autonomy, etc.) cannot affect its freedom of worship. This is a matter of interaction within the Churches, but not a matter of the state.

The theologian also drew attention to the fact that the UOC claims that it broke off relations with the MP after the Council of 2022. Therefore, only documents after this date should be studied. SSEFC, on the other hand, examined documents that are more than 30 years old. According to Bremer, “they cannot be a tool for interpreting the new statute.”

He also believes that no ROC document can be proof of anything regarding the UOC, especially if such a document existed before May 2022.

Thomas Bremer stressed that the SSEFC has no authority to discuss what the canonical status of a religious organization should be, and even less to force it to acquire this status (autocephaly). This is a direct violation of freedom of religion. Even if the UOC existed in isolation, separate from the rest of the Orthodox Churches, the state authorities would still have to recognize it.

The theologian recalled the situation with the UOC-KP, which no one in Orthodoxy recognized throughout its existence, but, nevertheless, “was in full compliance with Ukrainian law.”