Politik und Orthodoxie in Griechenland
Politics and Orthodoxy in Greece

Summary/Abstract: Abstract. Greece holds a special position among countries with an orthodox population because it was politically aligned with the west after the Second World War. It has nevertheless been affected by the systemic transformation of 1989/90, inter alia, through the strong migratory movement directed towards the country. This article first analyzes the historical development of the relationship between church and state in Greece. It then discusses the church in the context of processes of modernization. The relationship between the church and modernization is marked by numerous conflicts to this day, especially when considering the state as an actor. The final section of this article deals with particular developments pertinent to the greek orthodox church in recent years. These include the transition from archbishop Christodoulos to his successor in office, Hieronymus, in 2008. In contrast to his predecessor, Hieronymous rejects public interventions in political decisions by the orthodox church and instead tries to emphasize the church’s pastoral tasks. Recently, the financial crisis in Greece and beyond has had grave social effects for broad sections of the population, resulting in huge humanitarian challenges to the orthodox church.

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