Georgia: Politics & Religion

Talks with Diana posts a paper written by the blogger on Church-State relations in Georgia. The paper concludes that the tendency for the Georgian Orthodox Church to be used by local political forces poses a threat to democratization in the former Soviet republic.

Previously discussed issues certainly gives little ground for remaining calm and serene as the growing tendency to nationalize the Orthodox Church of Georgia still remains strongly rooted in the Georgian politics and more importantly in psyche of the society. This is more important than ever that “Georgia address the legal gaps in church-state relations to further religious freedoms” in order to maintain a safe democratic society.

With this research paper I argue that harmony between church and state is truly possible and history of Georgia proved it. Misusing of those religious values against other religious representatives and in personal political aims is what makes hard for country like Georgia to exceed from transition period into full length democracy. […]

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Religion, church and state relationship issues will always remain crucial in Georgia due to high religious society and therefore politics because politics is nothing but about people. But it’s not the threat, danger lies in another side of it. Looking through Georgia’s past and present, religion nationalism still keeps its hazard and this is what should be avoided.