Conclusions

Abstract

More than two decades after the end of state socialism in Eastern Europe, attitudes towards religion and its roles in state and society have undergone profound changes. The atheist ideal of state socialism and the banning of religion from the public sphere have been overturned. While socialism clearly defined the relationship between politics and religion, the newly emerged forms of government tend to have more ambiguous perspectives-despite the fact that they all offer legal recognition of religion and religious organizations, and enshrine religious freedom.