On the theses of Yu. V. Ospennikov at the round table discussion “Principles of adversarial and accusatory proceedings in church jurisprudence: combining elements, trends, prospects” (St. Petersburg, June 23, 2023)

The article is a response to the theses presented by Yu. V. Ospennikov at the round table discussion titled «Principles of Adversarial and Accusatory Proceedings in Church Jurisprudence: Combining Elements, Trends, Prospects” (St. Petersburg Theological Academy, June 23, 2023; Khristianskoye Chteniye , no. 3, 2023). Positive assessment is given to the idea that legal principles can be seen as a form of content that is used with varying degrees of effectiveness depending on the state of societal relations. Supported is the initiative to clarify the answers to the question which of the large church groups are the beneficiaries of the church court functioning, when resolving specific typical issues. In the conclusion, there are some remarks referring to the effectiveness of adversarialism in contemporary church courts, taking into account “culture wars”, “erosion of law”, and the culture of demonstrative conflict.