Current Challenges to the Protection of (Neo)pagans’ Religious Freedom in the Baltic States

Abstract

In the late 1980s, the activities of (neo)pagan groups were renewed in Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania. Today, the (neo)pagans have taken a stable place among the new religious movements in the Baltic states. The social inclusion of Baltic (neo)pagans is made difficult by the state authorities, which have applied to them the same kinds of legal regulations as for unregistered “non-traditional” religious communities. Currently, (neo)pagan attempts to be included in social life come up against the state authorities’ desire to closely control religious organisations. Despite common features, differences determined by both historical and political conditions can be observed: in Latvia and Lithuania, the (neo)pagan groups maintain that they are entitled to the same legal status as “traditional denominations” or “traditional religious association”; in Estonia, (neo)pagans are involved in discussions about religious freedom, religious education, and the preservation of historical sacred sites. Even though (neo)pagan groups in the Baltics have not gained the same legal status as the Christian denominations and their social inclusion is problematic, they have not been excluded from social life, as their activities have roots in the Latvian, Lithuanian, and Estonian traditional way of life, which is valued highly nowadays. In this article, qualitative comparative analysis is used as a methodological tool, which helps to explain changes in contexts and settings of the Baltic states.