DIE ORTHODOXE KIRCHE RUMÄNIENS, DER „ZÖLLNER“ ZWISCHEN POLITISCHEN ELITEN UND BÜRGERN.
THE ROMANIAN ORTHODOX CHURCH, THE “PUBLICAN” BETWEEN POLITICAL ELITES AND CITIZEN.

HOW MUCH INSTITUTIONALIZED RELIGION CAN POLITICAL COMMUNICATION HANDLE?

Summary/Abstract: In this paper, the author makes a strong case against the de-separation of state and Orthodox Church in Romania, especially in the political discourse. The religious discourse has been used by politicians to attack non-orthodox political enemies, while the church increased its influence in key political institutions, demanding more and more privileges, in the name of the symphony between church and state and of the autocephaly of the Romanian Orthodox Church. This paper deconstructs the concept of symphony and autocephaly and argues that their use in the political discourse goes far beyond their original meaning. The church uses these and similar concepts to engage a modern communicative interaction with the political and the public sphere using classical lobby but also new social media, besieging the public discourse, with the benefit of a large acceptance of theologically and democratically problematic ideas.

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