In non-democratic countries religion and church(es) can support, be indifferent or remain in opposition to the non-democratic government. In the communist countries the typical situation was as follows: the communist system – for ideological and political reasons – repressed churches and believers, who remained in open or covert opposition to the system.
Historical differences will be outlined. The countries on which a relatively uniform communist system was imposed differed in many aspects. There were different religions, denominational compositions, relationships between religious and national identities, and the power of the churches. Here’s why the authorities had to take into account the "local conditions": the policy towards the church(es) and the faithful had to be different in the relatively secularized Czech Republic, the religiously divided Hungary, and the uniform, religious, Poland.
The situation changed with the collapse of the communist system. Churches and believers regained autonomy, able and willing to stand up for their rights, and the democratic government tolerated them or even sought their support.
The Polish case will be analyzed in a more detailed way. The analysis will include not only the state – church relations, but relations in the triangle: state – church – society (and in its boundaries various social and political actors). The dynamics of this relationship will be presented with their important milestones: the introduction of religious instruction in schools – return of the church’s assets (taken by the communist authorities after World War II) – the debate on abortion – the concordat. We will consider whether and to what extent the appearance on the public stage of more radical political forces – both on the left side: anti-clerical and even anti-religious circles and on the right side: religious right circles – has changed the situation, and what that might mean for the future.
