The specificity of the Church-state relationship model in Central/Eastern Europe

Abstract

In post-communist societies that experienced secularization the Western models of Church-state relations seem to be inadequate. Freedom of religion and the reappearance of religious institutions in this region symbolizes the success of the democratic order. At the same time, the rapid pace of social, cultural and political changes causes dilemmas regarding the place of religion in public life and the complexity of religious identity vis a vis traditional, cultural and national identities. Religious identity narratives are here expressions of collective identity, cultural distinctiveness and national history. Therefore, the legal framework of Church-state relations is a subject of complex social interpretations. This chapter presents characteristics of the social practice regarding religion in the public sphere, which were distinguished based on qualitative research conducted in Poland, Slovakia and Ukraine. According to these observations Central European social model of the Church-state relationships is driven by cultural religion with a dislike for secularism, the strong traditional role of religious authority and institutions. It is also characterised by formal religious pluralism.