Church and State

The Political Influence of the Russian Orthodox and Polish Catholic Churches in Post-Communist Transitions

Abstract

The collapse of communism in Eastern Europe and the Soviet Union fundamentally reshaped the political and religious landscapes of the region, allowing once-suppressed religious institutions to reassert themselves as powerful political actors. This paper investigates the post-1991 influence of the Russian Orthodox Church and the Polish Catholic Church, analyzing how their distinct historical legacies shaped divergent roles in politics and society. The Russian Orthodox Church, historically accustomed to collaboration with centralized authority, reestablished a close alliance with the Kremlin, reinforcing authoritarian governance through appeals to Orthodoxy, nationalism, and traditional family values. In contrast, the Polish Catholic Church, a symbol of resistance and moral authority, entered the democratic era as an independent but deeply influential institution, shaping national debates over education, reproductive rights, and constitutional identity. While both churches employ similar strategies — moral authority, cultural symbolism, and political alignment — their influence reflects the political contexts in which they operate: authoritarian consolidation in Russia versus contested but polarizing authority in democratic Poland. By tracing the churches' roles in shaping identity, public policy, and state legitimacy, this paper demonstrates how religion remains a decisive force in post-communist transitions while also confronting the limits of ecclesiastical authority amid generational change, secularization, and social resistance.