English Important religious phenomena in Eastern Europe challenge the sociology of religion. There are signs of a religious revival and an extended atheism. Yet observers have come to opposing conclusions. These contradicting interpretations call for conceptual and terminological clarifications. The author suggests that key notions in the sociology of religion such as religion itself, faith, religious practice, communal belonging and others have basically different meanings and implications under different socio-cultural circumstances. Accordingly, one needs different indicators and research methodology for them. Focusing on the traditional versus post-traditional dimension, as well as on the supposed differences between religious cultures in Eastern and Western Christianity, the author seeks to isolate structural ideal-types to identify specific kinds of religious settings and to elaborate the contextual and socio-cultural elements of different types of religion. French D'importants phénomènes religieux d'Europe centrale défient la sociologie des'religions. Il y a des signes de revivalisme religieux en même temps qu'une extension de l'athéisme. Jusqu'ici les observateurs ont abouti à des conclusions opposées. Ces interprétations contradictoires appellent des clarifications conceptuelles et terminologiques. L'auteur suggère que les notions-clés de la sociologie des religions telles que la religion elle-même, la foi, la pratique religieuse, l'appartenance communautaire et d'autres encore ont à la base des significations et des implications particulières à chaque contexte socioculturel. Par conséquent, il est nécessaire d'utiliser des méthodes de recherches et des indicateurs adaptés à chacun. En se centrant sur l'opposition qui existe entre les dimensions traditionnelle et post-traditionnelle, ainsi que sur les supposées différences entre les cultures religieuses du christianisme occidental et oriental, l'auteur cherche à isoler des idéaux-types structurels afin de pouvoir identifier les différents types de configurations religieuses et d'en préciser les aspects contextuels et socio-culturels.

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Religiosity in the postwar period and de-Christianization afterwards reached especially great proportions in Central Europe, whereas the religious revival in Central Europe after 1978 is unparalleled. Another distinguishing feature is the adaptation of church structure to conditions of totalitarianism by the `underground church'. Different interpretations of these features are examined. Secularization theory does not offer sufficient explanation, partly because totalitarianism counteracted sociocultural differentiation. The rational choice approach does not fit either, because both premodern attributes and the social confrontation with totalitarianism and the resulting bipolar arrangement of the sociocultural system contradicted market conditions. The best explanatory concept is found in acculturation which produced distinct patterns of religiosity in different age cohorts.

Despite differences between countries, Eastern Europe is experiencing religious growth and the Churches are enjoying higher prestige. Religiosity appears to be increasing in some respects, unlike in West European societies. However, this development is not without contradictions. The present turn to religion is characterized by very different motives and constituents, among others the search for cultural identity, social regeneration and the fulfilment of spiritual needs. The increased prestige of the Churches is similarly ambiguous. Available data allow different interpretations depending on whether Communism is accepted as a social system that functions reasonably well, or as an artificial straitjacket that leaves a legacy of social anomie.