Description
References to Europe's "Christian roots" have played a significant role in the construction of European identity, particularly in debates on continental integration and the definition of Europe's cultural boundaries. In recent years, however, this notion appears to have evolved from a distinctive feature of Europe into a broader narrative of a purported "Christian civilization." This concept no longer refers to a shared historical trajectory or to a characterization of the West. Rather, it functions as a political instrumentalization of an alleged Christian cultural heritage, invoked by actors both outside Europe, as in the case of Christian nationalism within segments of the American right, and even outside the West, as in the case of Russia, where Christianity is sometimes mobilized as a cultural justification for opposition to elements of liberal politics.
This paper analyzes this development as a process of redefining collective identities that transcends traditional geographical and confessional boundaries. It argues that references to Christianity increasingly serve as identity markers that distinguish a culturally homogeneous "us" from a plurality of "others" perceived as threats to social, moral, and political order. The paper suggests that this globalized Christian-civilizational narrative may provide a symbolic foundation for a new form of political polarization centered on values, identities, and competing visions of contemporary society.