Rights, Justice, & Religion

Eastern Christianity and the Cold War, 1945-91

Edited by Lucian Leustean

Despite widespread persecution, Orthodox churches not only survived the Cold War period but levels of religiosity in Orthodox countries remained significant. This book examines the often surprising relations between Orthodox churches and political regimes. It provides a comprehensive overview of the dynamics between Eastern Christianity and politics from the end of the Second World War to the fall of communism, covering 40 Orthodox churches including diasporic churches in Africa, Asia, America and Australia.

Based on research from recently-opened archives and publications in a wide range of European languages, it analyses church-state relations on both sides of the Iron Curtain. It discusses the following key themes: the relationship between Orthodox churches and political power; religious resistance to communism; the political control of churches; religion and propaganda; monasticism and theological publications; religious diplomacy within the Orthodox commonwealth; and religious contacts between East and West. ISBN: 9780415471978 Published December 22 2009 by Routledge.

Nicholas Wolterstorff’s fear of the secular

by Jonathon Kahn

The truly dynamic discussion in America today about religion and politics is not between "wall of separation" secularists and Christian political theologians attempting to turn American into a theocracy. Instead, the promising but fledgling discussion is between religious and non-religious democrats who are acutely aware of the two horns of this essential American dilemma. First, one has a right to express one's convictions in whatever terms one holds them, including religious terms; second, one cannot assume that one's fellow citizens' convictions are shaped by the same terms.