RELIDEM: Religious Realignments and Democratic Resilience – A Comparative Study of Religious Responses to (geo)political Crises

RELIDEM: Religious Realignments and Democratic Resilience – A Comparative Study of Religious Responses to (geo)political Crises

 

The liberal democratic world order has entered a crisis. Democratic backsliding and the shift toward authoritarian leaders, often justified under the banner of traditional values, are central issues. Populist nationalism, infused with local religious traditions, has become a key pillar of this trend.

Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine exemplifies illiberal authoritarianism and the conflicts it generates. The war has forced churches to reassess their views on war and peace, their role in nation-building, and their underlying ideologies, particularly theology.

Frontline countries along the Russian border – Finland, Lithuania, Poland, and Ukraine – have reconsidered their security strategies and identity discourses. RELIDEM focuses on these four countries and their historic churches (Orthodox, Catholic, and Protestant). The project examines how these churches respond to the war in Ukraine and the broader crisis of democracy.

The role of religion in the crisis of democracy is often analysed through the USA and Russia, but similarities can conceal important local differences. International discourses are adopted selectively and adapted to local contexts. A comparative study of grassroots movements and organizational dynamics will enhance understanding of the relationship between religion, nationalism, and politics.

 

Specific objectives

• To analyse how historic Christian churches in Finland, Lithuania, Poland, and Ukraine respond to the crises of war and democratic backsliding.
• Examine theological views on war, peace, and nation-building.
• Analyse how churches position themselves in relation to populist nationalism and democracy.
• Investigate grassroots movements and organizational dynamics.
• Compare how international discourses are adapted locally.
• Identify patterns that strengthen democratic resilience or contribute to democratic erosion.

Achievements

RELIDEM has developed the codebook and carried out the pilot interviews and analyses. Field work is underway.
In Lithuania, a panel discussion titled “In search of a resilient Orthodox Church in Lithuania” was organised on December 5, 2025. https://www.bernardinai.lt/koks-valstybes-vaidmuo-atsparios-ortodoksu-baznycios-lietuvoje-beieskant/
RELIDEM is in the process of organising two panels in the largest Nordic conference on theology and study of religion, TUTP, in Helsinki 11-13 May 2026, https://www.helsinki.fi/en/conferences/research-conference-theology-and-religion-2026

 

News to be highlighted

• https://fudelab.id.uj.edu.pl/en_GB/news/journal_content/56_INSTANCE_x1kzqnQgm8YY/152110637/157320552;
• https://www.tspmi.vu.lt/en/tyrimas/religious-realignments-and-democratic-resilience-a-comparative-study-of-religious-responses-to-geopolitical-crises-relidem/;
• https://polininstitutet.fi/en/religious-realignments-and-democratic-resilience-a-comparative-study-of-religious-responses-to-geopolitical-crises-relidem/;
• https://religioninpraxis.com/blog/

Consortium/ partners

Project Leader – Mika Vähäkangas, Åbo Akademi University, Finland

Milda Alisauskiene, Vilnius University, Lithuania

Katarzyna Zielińska, Jagiellonian University, Poland

Tornike Metreveli, Lund University, Sweden

More information:

Website: https://talkingtobots.net/

Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/talkingtobots.bsky.social

X: https://x.com/NihaiResearch

Email: [email protected]