1st Edition
Orthodox Identities in Western Europe Migration, Settlement and Innovation
The Orthodox migration in the West matters, despite its unobtrusive presence. And it matters in a way that has not yet been explored in social and religious studies: in terms of size, geographical scope, theological input and social impact. This book explores the adjustment of Orthodox migrants and their churches to Western social and religious contexts in different scenarios. This variety is consistent with Orthodox internal diversity regarding ethnicity, migration circumstances, Church-State relations and in line with the specificities of the receiving country in terms of religious landscape, degree of secularisation, legal treatment of immigrant religious institutions or socio-economic configurations. Exploring how Orthodox identities develop when displaced from traditional ground where they are socially and culturally embedded, this book offers fresh insights into Orthodox identities in secular, religiously pluralistic social contexts.
Introduction
Maria Hämmerli and Jean-François Mayer
PART I: Migration and Settlement
1 Romanian Orthodox Churches in Italy: The Construction of the Romanian–Italian Transnational Orthodox Space
Suna Gülfer Ihlamur-Öner
2 The Myth of an Ideal Leader: The Case of the Syriac Orthodox Community in Europe
Naures Atto
3 The Transformation of Social Capital among Assyrians in the Migration Context
Soner Onder Barthoma
4 Orthodox Churches in Germany: From Migrant Groups to Permanent Homeland
Reinhard Thöle
5 The Ambivalent Ecumenical Relations among Russian Orthodox Faithful in Germany
Sebastian Rimestad and Ernest Kadotschnikow
6 How do Orthodox Integrate in their Host Countries? Examples from Switzerland
Maria Hämmerli
7 The Orthodox Churches in the United Kingdom
Hugh Wybrew
8 Population Movements and Orthodox Christianity in Finland: Dislocations, Resettlements, Migrations and Identities
Tuomas Martikainen and Teuvo Laitila
9 Orthodox Parishes in Strasbourg: Between Migration and Integration
Guillaume Keller
10 Orthodox Priests in Norway: Serving or Ruling?
Berit Thorbjørnsrud
PART II: Innovation
11 Not Just Caviar and Balalaikas: Unity and Division in Russian Orthodox Congregations in Denmark
Annika Hvithamar
12 Mediating Orthodoxy: Convert Agency and Discursive Autochthonism in Ireland
James A. Kapaló
13 The Great Athonite Tradition in France: Circulation of Athonite Imaginaries and the Emergence of a French Style of Orthodoxy
Laurent Denizeau
14 ‘We are Westerners and Must Remain Westerners’: Orthodoxy and Western Rites in Western Europe
Jean-François Mayer
15 Innovation in the Russian Orthodox Church: The Crisis in the Diocese of Sourozh in Britain
Maria Hämmerli and Edmund Mucha
Biography
Maria Hämmerli is a sociologist of religion and currently researches Orthodox Churches and their migration to traditionally non-Orthodox countries. Jean-François Mayer is Director of the Institute Religioscope. He is the author of ten books and numerous articles on contemporary religion.
"By examining Orthodox migration and settlement in a historical perspective, the editors and authors of the book have managed to provide a much-needed contribution, not only to the study of Orthodoxy but toward the refinement of theoretical and methodological tools in the field of religion and migration."
- Theoni Stathopoulou, National Centre for Social Research, Athens, Greece, Religion and Society in Central and Eastern Europe
