The relationship between Church and State. In defense of the exceptionality of the Romanian case Cover Image

Relaţia dintre stat şi biserică. În apărarea excepţionalităţii cazului românesc
The relationship between Church and State. In defense of the exceptionality of the Romanian case

Author(s): Anca Şincan
Subject(s): History
Published by: Institutul de Cercetări Socio-Umane Gheorghe Şincai al Academiei Române
Keywords: Romanian Orthodox Church; Ministry for Religious Denominations; communism; state church relations

Summary/Abstract: The present article looks into the prolongations between the interwar and the communist period with regards to the discussion on defining the state church relationship. The survivals from the interwar period into the communist regime, be them in specialists, ideas, modernization projects, have impacted the way in which Romanian communism dealt with religion. The characteristics of the new regime have also put their mark on the design of the relationship – lack of trained specialists, lack of a clear understanding of communist ideology. The relationship was designed on a Soviet model, while the model was still in testing period and the consequences showed in the cases where the model was applied. Thus this paper suggests that instead of thinking this state church relationship came with the new regime one has to look at it as a surviving relationship that went back to mid-19th century for some particularities and mostly to the interwar period with regards to the specialists, points of contingencies between state and church, rules and regulations.

  • Issue Year: 2013
  • Issue No: 16
  • Page Range: 180-192
  • Page Count: 13
  • Language: Romanian