Religious Revival and Deprivatization in Post-Soviet Georgia: Reculturation of Orthodox Christianity and Deculturation of Islam

Abstract

The countries of the former Soviet Union witnessed a religious revivalism in the final years of the regime, although following the collapse, the revivals of the different faith communities have had different characteristics. This article discusses the nature of the desecularization and deprivatization processes of both the Orthodox Christian Georgians and the Muslim minorities in Georgia. Based on field researches and indepth interviews conducted with elites and experts, it is argued that the revival of Orthodox Christianity in Georgia differs from the revival of Islam. While the Islamic revival has taken the form of a deculturation, very much in line with global processes, the Orthodox Christian revival is taking the form of a reculturation.

Explaining Religious Revival in the Context of Long-Term Secularization

“…The same phenomenon can be observed even more clearly in Georgia (Jödicke 2015;Köksal et al 2019) (Figure 2). According to Stolz et al (2023), the religious revival began slowly around 1985 and gained momentum in 1990.…”

A counterexample to secularization theory? Assessing the Georgian religious revival

“…Thus, the Georgian revival is not just a “correction” because of the removal of state repression. It is true that religion was heavily suppressed in Georgia (although the State's position on religion softened considerably in the 1970s and even more so in the 1980s) (Köksal et al., 2019). Obviously, the removal of communist repression was a necessary condition for the revival, and it did occur in Georgia – but so did it in all other post‐soviet countries, where revivals were much smaller.…”

“…This paper investigates one of the most significant of such possible Orthodox counterexamples to secularization theory: Georgia, a former Communist Orthodox country in Eastern Europe (with small Muslim, Armenian-Apostolic, and Catholic minorities). This South-Caucasian nation has witnessed one of the most striking religious resurgences worldwide (Jödicke, 2015;Köksal et al, 2019). This leads to our three key questions: (1) When did the Georgian religious revival happen, and what form did it take?…”

“…For example, a strong life-cycle effect making individuals more religious over time will ceteris paribus lead to no aggregate change in overall religiosity, since young individuals will again start out at a low level of religiosity (Voas & Doebler, 2011). 8 Poll by the International Centre on Conflicts and Negotiation (2008) and survey by the Caucasus Research Resource Pew Research Center (2013) (cited according toKöksal (2019). Compare also toGugushvili et al (2017).…”

“…8 8 Poll by the International Centre on Conflicts and Negotiation (2008) and survey by the Caucasus Research Resource Pew Research Center (2013) (cited according to Köksal (2019). Compare also to Gugushvili et al.…”