A counterexample to secularization theory? Assessing the Georgian religious revival

Abstract

Secularization theory allows for transitory religious revivals under certain conditions, such as extreme societal crises or state weakness. The country of Georgia has witnessed the largest religious revival of Orthodox countries and one of the most striking religious resurgences worldwide. This paper gives both a statistical and historical description of this revival and asks whether it is a counterexample to secularization theory. We show that the main thrust of the religious revival in Georgia lasted 25 years and seized the entire society in what was mainly a period effect. The most significant cause for the revival was a major societal and economic crisis starting in 1985 combined with a very weak state, creating massive individual insecurity. In these circumstances, the Georgian Orthodox Church was able to provide identity for individuals and legitimacy for governments. Other possible causes of the revival—state funding, too rapid modernization, or emigration—can be excluded as primary drivers of the process. The Georgian case shows a situation in which secularization theory expects transitory revivals and is thus not a counterexample.

Explaining Religious Revival in the Context of Long-Term Secularization

“…In the Georgian revival, we find that there was an intelligent and charismatic patriarch and a protest movement that brought together both religious and political opponents of the communist regime. Against this background, the societal crisis could lead to a major religious upswing (Stolz et al 2023). In the case of the rise of Methodism in Cornwall in the 18th century, a need for "transition" through the introduction of large-scale mining was combined with the fact that John Wesley tirelessly preached in the region.…”

“…The same phenomenon can be observed even more clearly in Georgia (Jödicke 2015;Köksal et al 2019) (Figure 2). According to Stolz et al (2023), the religious revival began slowly around 1985 and gained momentum in 1990. This is evident in the increase in the number of churches, religious affiliation, perceived importance of religion, and attendance at religious services.…”

The heterogeneous well-being effects of intergenerational mobility perceptions

“…As for research on the implications of intergenerational income mobility for well-being, an ecological study for the United States has found a positive link between country-level income mobility and life expectancy (Venkataramani et al, 2020). Furthermore, the importance of perceived mobility in income may be particularly relevant in Georgia which has suffered major economic and political turmoil since the end of the 1980s (Stolz et al, 2023).…”