The former Archbishop of Canterbury, Rowan Williams, has issued a stark theological condemnation of Vladimir Putin, labelling the Russian President's claim that his invasion of Ukraine is a 'holy mission' as outright heresy.
A Disturbing Weaponisation of Faith
In an interview with The Independent, Dr Williams, who led the Church of England from 2002 to 2012, expressed profound alarm at the Kremlin's systematic rebranding of Christianity to serve a nationalist ideology. His comments follow a speech by Putin earlier in January 2026, marking Orthodox Christmas, where the Russian leader framed his soldiers as warriors acting 'as if at the Lord's behest'.
'I'd certainly say we're talking about heresy,' Williams stated. He argued that this ideology undermines a fundamental Christian belief by assuming 'that we have to defend God by violence,' a notion directly contradictory to the teachings of Jesus Christ.
Theological Condemnation and Political Repression
Williams pointed to the core Christian message, referencing Christ's words that his kingdom is 'not of this world' and that if it were, 'my servants would fight.' He noted the bitter irony of Putin's persistent escalation of violence during Christian holidays like Christmas and Easter.
The former archbishop also highlighted the case of two young Orthodox seminary members, Denis Popovich and Nikita Ivankovich, who face up to 20 years in prison on what observers deem to be trumped-up terrorism charges. Their arrest, initially for 'petty hooliganism,' has been condemned by the Orthodox Christian Studies Centre's publication, Public Orthodoxy, as a clear act of political repression against devout individuals.
The 'Russian World' Ideology and Western Complacency
This critique is not isolated. In the wake of the February 2022 invasion, over 1,600 Eastern Orthodox theologians and clerics signed the Volos Declaration, condemning the 'Russian World' ideology as heretical. This belief system posits a divine right for Russia to build a 'Holy Rus,' a concept Williams and others reject as a dangerous perversion of faith.
Williams warned that the West is in denial about how religion is being 'weaponised' to drive global conflict. 'In the West, we might think that religion is draining away but it certainly isn't in other parts of the world,' he said. He urged religious leaders everywhere to strengthen their condemnation of such violence.
The Ukrainian parliament formally outlawed the Moscow-based Russian Orthodox Church in 2024 due to its staunch support for the war. Other clergy have echoed Williams's sentiments, with some Orthodox priests telling The Independent that Putin holds 'demonic' beliefs more akin to the 'Antichrist' than a messiah.
When asked what he would say to Putin directly, Williams posed a piercing question: 'The word Christianity contains the name Christ. Which Christ do you think you're serving? The one of the Gospels or some nationalist goblin?'
