The Religion-Politics Nexus in East-Central Europe: Church in the Public Sphere of Post-Secular Societies
The Religion-Politics Nexus in East-Central Europe: Church in the Public Sphere of Post-Secular Societies

Summary/Abstract: The paper deals with the perplexing role religion plays in the politics of the post-communist societies of East Central Europe. Building upon three theoretical models describing the role of religion in public life (Rawls, Habermas and Wolterstorff), it examines the strikingly different ways in which the local churches and their leaders enter the public spheres in these countries, in particular when addressing international issues such as European integration. This empirical material allows us to critically reflect upon the suitability of these three models for an analysis of these societies. In addition, other notions related to the religion-politics nexus, such as the Habermasian concept of 'the post-secular society', will be discussed as well. Methodologically, the paper is based on a comparative study of the Czech and Slovak Republics. Even though these two countries had long shared a common state, their respective levels of (institutionalised) religiosity scale: While the Czech Republic is arguably the most atheistic country in the world, in Slovakia, the influence of the (Catholic) church is very strong

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