Religious Liberty, New Religious Movements and Traditional Christian Churches in Eastern Europe

Abstract

"The new political, economic and cultural situation in Eastern Europe after 1989, and the radical and dramatic transformation towards democratisation, deeply affected all strata of society. Inevitably, the search for new foundations of public and private life and for new spiritual orientations came to the fore, together with a suddenly emerged cultural pluralism and religious diversity, unknown under the confines of Marxist- Leninist dogma. Initially, this process was connected with a fresh experience of openness and freedom for religion after the old restrictions on religious activity were abolished. Later, a feeling of cultural shock, a growing sense of insecurity and a loss of orientation among a considerable part of population (to a great extent arising from the lack of deeply-rooted unifying public ideas and shared values in postcommunist society on the one hand, and the challenge of the new religious groups to the traditional Christian churches on the other) brought about the urgent need for redefinition of the public place and role of religion."