Religion in the public life of Lithuania: the return and its features

Abstract

<p> The return of religion in the public life of contemporary society is not a new theme within the sociology of religion; it has challenged the sociological mind over the last thirty years. For some scholars, the return of religion to the public sphere was evidence of a triumphant desecularization process (Berger), its per sistence (Taylor), and/or deprivatization (Casanova). For others, this return chal lenged the secularism of the public sphere (Asad) and created a space for de bating a “post-secular” society where religious and secular coexist (Habermas). This paper examines the return of religion in Lithuania’s public life since the dis solution of the Soviet Union and the declaration of independence. It provides an overview of the role religion played in Lithuanian society during the Soviet period, as well as the legacy and current role in contemporary Lithuania. Based on existing historical, statistical, and sociological data, the paper will address the following questions: which religion and how it has returned to the public life of Lithuania, and what are the features of this social process?</p>