Religion and Politics in Post-Communist Romania Lavinia Stan and Lucian Turcescu In the post-communist era it has become evident that the emerging democracies in Eastern Europe will be determined by many factors, only some of them political. Throughout the region, the Orthodox, Roman Catholic, and Greek Catholic churches have tried to impose their views on democracy through direct political engagement. Moreover, surveys show that the churches (and the army) enjoy more popular confidence than elected political bodies such as parliaments. These results reflect widespread disenchantment with a democratization process that has allowed politicians to advance their own agendas rather than work to solve the urgent socio-economic problems these countries face. In this penetrating study, Lavinia Stan and Lucian Turcescu investigate the interaction of religion and politics in one such country, Romania. Facing internal challenges and external competition from other religions old and new, the Orthodox Church in Romania has sought to consolidate its position and ensure that Romania's version of democracy recognizes its privileged position of "national Church", enforcing the Church's stances on issues such as homosexuality and abortion. The post-communist state and political elite in turn rely on the Church to encourage compliance with educational and cultural policies and to quell the insistent demands of the Hungarian minority for autonomy. Stan and Turcescu examine the complex relationship between church and state in this new Romania, providing analysis in key areas: church collaboration with communist authorities, post-communist electoral politics, nationalism and ethno-politics, restitution of Greek Catholic property, religious education, and sexual behavior and reproduction. […] Lavinia Stan is a political scientist and Director of the Centre for Post-Communist studies at St. Francis Xavier University. She is the author of Leaders and Laggards: Governance, Civicness and Ethnicity in Post-Communist Romania Lucian Turcescu currently teaches theology at Concordia University in Montreal, Canada. He is the author of The Concept of Divine Persons in St. Gregory of Nyssa's Works