Multi-dimensional Cross-confessional Approach to the Study of Religiosity in Belarus: Need and Conceptualization (original) (raw)
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As has been stated in many papers about postcommunist countries, the ”post-communist” label underlines historical similarities of many countries of Central, Eastern and Southern Europe but is quite unproductive in explaining current social processes and, moreover, developmental possibilities. This is true in particular for the role of religion in light of not only very different religious situations in different countries (measured by the usual sociological indicators of religiosity) but also different confessional traditions (Catholicism and Eastern Orthodoxy but also Islam and Protestantism to a certain extent), and differences in their church–state relations. Thus, the notion of diversity(-ies) more accurately describes the role of religion in post-communist countries than does the notion of similarity. Diversity, on the other hand, poses another problem, as it lacks an adequate theoretical frame for understanding trends in socio-religious development. Is there any theoretical ex...
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