The paper focuses on the problem of political instrumentalization of religion and proposes that Poland and Hungary, often put into “one sack” in this regard, have been wrongly perceived as twin models of links between religion and politics during PiS (2015-2023) and Fidesz (from 2010) rule. While in both cases religion (Christianity) is politically instrumentalized in the form of religious nationalism and sacralization of the nation two different, or even opposite, models occur when the historical and political context is analyzed. Distinctive difference emerges from the societal power of religion, expressed in the correlation between patriotism and nationalism, historically present in Poland and not present but „constructed” in Hungary. The paper aims at explaining historical and political context of different positioning of religion and its connections to nationalism in both countries as well as political strategies applied by political decision-makers in terms of “using religion” in both countries.
