Between Means and Ends: On Everyday Religiosity in Ukraine

Abstract

Abstract. The review analyzes the book Everyday Religiosity and the Politics of Belonging in Ukraine by American anthropologist and scholar of religion Catherine Wanner. The author, who has systematically visited Ukraine for many years, offers a thorough analysis of vernacular religious practices with respect to the identity of those Ukrainians whom Wanner describes as “simply Orthodox”, while also advancing the idea that grassroots religiosity is characteristic of Ukrainian society as a whole. At the same time, institutionalized religion remains an instrument of political manipulation, often turning religion into a powerful weapon. By examining everyday religiosity, sacred space, the historical past, and the lived realities of Ukrainians, the researcher points to new forms of the transcendent that respond to contemporary challenges while simultaneously affirming the role of religiosity in society.