Ideology and Religion
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Date
2016
Authors
Hovorun, Cyril
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
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Abstract
The article explores the genesis and varieties of the phenomenon of ideology, and its relationship
with religion. It begins with the origins of the notion and term in Antoine Destutt de Tracy and
Karl Marx, and then continues up to the most recent developments of conservative and liberal
ideological schemata. The author pays particular attention to the totalitarian ideologies of
Communism and Nazism. The article argues that ideology sometimes tried to replace religion,
and sometimes mimicked it. In any case, it exercised a profound impact on churches. This impact
is in most cases polarizing for the church, when the latter identifies itself with ideology and thus
dramatically reduces itself. Among the instances of such an impact are “political Orthodoxy” in
Ukraine, and the “Russian world” in Russia. The author concludes that the church should learn
to distinguish what is ideological and what is theological.
Description
Keywords
ideology, secularism, totalitarianism, conservatism, liberalism
Citation
Hovorun Cyril. Ideology and Religion [electronic resource] / Cyril Hovorun // Kyiv-Mohyla Humanities Journal. - 2016. - No. 3. - P. 23-35.