Pr Laurent Cleenewerck de Kiev – Professional Information | Faculty Work

Pr Laurent Cleenewerck de Kiev | Professional Information | Faculty Work

Temple Theology & Ecclesiology

Liturgy · Studies

Tolkien / Theological Fiction

Tolkien · Interests

Interfaith Studies: Receiving the UN WIHW Prize in 2016

Interfaith · Interests

Featured Book

Featured Tale

Youth Without Age and Life Without Death

When I was growing up, books of tales and legends from all over the world were to be found throughout the house, many of them published by Grund and wonderfully illustrated. Here is one that deserved to be read or re-read…

Fairy Tales

Illustrated Fairy Tales

Orthodox fairy tales from Romania, Russia, Bulgaria and Ukraine, each with its own icon-style illustration.

Icon-style illustration of the tale Youth Without Age and Life Without Death: the prince on his winged white horse above a dragon, and the young prince holding a sword beside an open chest

The Prince Who Sought Life without Death

Illustration 1 for "The Wolves of Saint Andrew", from Twelve Romanian Orthodox Fairy Tales

The Wolves of Saint Andrew

Illustration 1 for "The Blue of Voronets", from Twelve Romanian Orthodox Fairy Tales

The Blue of Voronets

Illustration 1 for "The Candle of Saint Paraskeva", from Twelve Romanian Orthodox Fairy Tales

The Candle of Saint Paraskeva

Illustration 1 for "The Shepherd Who Went Barefoot", from Twelve Romanian Orthodox Fairy Tales

The Shepherd Who Went Barefoot

Illustration 1 for "Master Manole and the Wall That Would Not Stand", from Twelve Romanian Orthodox Fairy Tales

Master Manole and the Wall That Would Not Stand

Theology

Theological Articles

2026

Which Is the True Church? Reflections on the debate between Jay Dyer and David Wood

Reflections on the debate between Jay Dyer and Dr. David Wood, and on a question that may have been asked the wrong way

2026

Scripture Alone? A Review of the Sorin-Menard Debate

Few questions have divided Christians more deeply over the last five centuries than this one: is Holy Scripture the only infallible rule of faith, or is it given

2026

Image and Prototype The Theology and Pastoral Reality of Icon Veneration, with the Biblical Evidence in Full

The Theology and Pastoral Reality of Icon Veneration, with the Biblical Evidence in Full

2026

Through Him, in the Spirit, with All the Saints To Pray, to Intercede, to Commemorate: The Directions of Prayer in the Orthodox Tradition

To Pray, to Intercede, to Commemorate: The Directions of Prayer in the Orthodox Tradition

2026

Praying “for the Dead” and “to the Dead” at Vespers – the obvious biblical basis

The Commemoration of the Saints at Orthodox Vespers, Its Roots in the Biblical Lament, and Why It Is Not Necromancy

2026

Reflections on the White–Truglia Debate: “Icon Veneration as Defined by the Second Council of Nicaea (787) Is Apostolic”

Before offering any assessment, I want to begin with a word of sincere appreciation for Craig Truglia. His labors as an Orthodox apologist, through his platform Orthodox Christian

Publications

Books

2026

How to Know God

An Orthodox Christian answer to the question of how God can be known, written in dialogue with Deepak Chopra’s book of the same name.

2026

The Dwelling Place of God

Temple theology traced from Genesis to Revelation, and shown to be the living pattern of Eastern Orthodox worship.

2026

Between Terror and Mercy

How Christians can read the biblical texts of holy war and divine violence, in light of Christ and the Orthodox tradition.

2026

The Mystical Gospel in the Lord of the Rings

Twelve Eastern Orthodox meditations that read The Lord of the Rings as a map of the soul and of the Christian spiritual journey.

2026

From Auctoritas to Potestas

The development of Roman primacy from the pre-Nicene era to Vatican I, studied through a series of historical and theological case studies.

2026

The Intermediate State of the Dead in Catholicism and Orthodoxy

Purgatory, toll booths, indulgences, fire and other mysteries: a comparative study of Catholic and Orthodox teaching on the state of souls between death and the final judgment.

2026

The EOB New Testament (Eastern / Greek Orthodox Bible)

A well-received English edition of the New Testament from the Eastern/Greek Orthodox Bible project, for which I served as Editor.

2026

The Catechism of the Orthodox Christian Faith

A complete revision and major expansion of the Longer Catechism of St Philaret of Moscow, now available in a Request for Comments Pre-Release Edition.

2026

His Broken Body

A study of the historical and theological causes of the separation between the Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox Churches, and of the paths toward reconciliation.

Global Health & Bioethics

Public Health Articles

2026

Key players and determinants improving human papillomavirus vaccination coverage in Cameroon: a cross-sectional nationwide health workers survey

A nationwide survey of Cameroonian health workers identifying which actors and factors contributed to improved HPV vaccination coverage.

2025

Malaria vaccine acceptance and associated factors in Cameroon: A nationwide cross-sectional survey

A nationwide household survey in Cameroon measuring caregiver acceptance of the malaria vaccine and the factors associated with willingness to vaccinate.

2025

Overcoming challenges and achieving high HPV vaccination uptake in Cameroon: lessons learned from a gender-neutral and single-dose program and community engagement

An ecological interrupted time series analysis of DHIS2 data assessing how the gender-neutral single-dose strategy, periodic immunization intensification and communication efforts affected HPV vaccine uptake in Cameroon, 2020

Other Research

Research

2026

Digital Riba and Algorithmic Finance: Challenges of Digitized Usury in China’s Integrated Payment Landscape

Discusses how algorithmic lending and integrated digital payment systems in China raise questions of interest (riba) under Islamic law.

2025

Interplay Between the Metaverse and Islamic Finance: Mutual Impacts and Implications for Taxation

Examines the two-way relationship between metaverse platforms and Islamic finance and its consequences for tax policy.

2025

Patents, Profits, and Machines: How AI Is Reshaping Innovation and Taxation

Analyzes how artificial intelligence is changing patenting, innovation incentives and the taxation of intellectual property income.

Blog & Articles

A Machine, a Head, and a Missing Proposition: A Critique of T. S. Flanders on the Ybarra-Sellen Debate

A response to T. S. Flanders (OnePeterFive) on the Ybarra-Sellen debate: the Eusebian model of churches in communion, the equivocation on “head,” binding versus infallible, the “doctrinal machine,” and what Sardica actually says.

November 3, 2026

Icon-style illustration of the tale Youth Without Age and Life Without Death: the prince on his winged white horse above a dragon, and the young prince holding a sword beside an open chest

The Prince Who Sought Life without Death

A Story of Suceava and Neamts, on the Feast of Pascha. An Orthodox retelling of “Youth Without Age and Life Without Death”.

November 3, 2026

Illustration 1 for "The Wolves of Saint Andrew", from Twelve Romanian Orthodox Fairy Tales

The Wolves of Saint Andrew

A Story of Dobrogea and the Feast of Saint Andrew.

November 3, 2026

Illustration 1 for "The Blue of Voronets", from Twelve Romanian Orthodox Fairy Tales

The Blue of Voronets

A Story of Bucovina and the Feast of Saint George.

November 3, 2026

Illustration 1 for "The Candle of Saint Paraskeva", from Twelve Romanian Orthodox Fairy Tales

The Candle of Saint Paraskeva

A Story of Iashi and the Feast of Saint Paraskeva.

November 3, 2026

Illustration 1 for "The Shepherd Who Went Barefoot", from Twelve Romanian Orthodox Fairy Tales

The Shepherd Who Went Barefoot

A Story of Bucharest and the Feast of Saint Demetrius the New.

November 3, 2026

In Memoriam

Archbishop Vsevolod of Scopelos (1927-2007)