Georgian Orthodox Church and Human Rights: Challenges to Georgian Society

Abstract

The collapse of the Soviet Union and radical socio-political changes in Georgia affected the role and function of religion in the society considerably. Religious factors encounter in many political issues, cultural identity, values, and social activities. The purpose of this paper is to identify the characteristic trend of the interrelationship between religious resurgence and human rights in ­Georgia. The paper explores ongoing tendencies in the field of human rights in post-­communist Georgia from the perspective of religious and political transformation. The extremely high levels of public trust toward religion and the Georgian Orthodox Church (GOC) influence the formulation of public discourse. Assessment of different events, processes, and the attitude of the Church towards human rights indicate the risks in relation to human rights. Ambivalence towards religious pluralism, challenges of acceptance of freedom of religion, the rise of religious fundamentalism, controversies on the separation of religious and political spheres can create tensions in society. The nationalization of religion, anti-modernism and radical tendencies make it hard for the Church to find its place and rethink its role in a modern society. Post-communist political and religious transformation is a serious challenge to GOC. First and foremost, it is about freedom of religion.