Nationalisation of the Sacred: Book Discussion with Cyril Hovorun, Katharina Kunter and Emil Hilton Saggau

Religion in Praxis Conversation Series

Do the long-running conflicts over territory, saints, and sacred sites that have engulfed the Eastern Orthodox churches in post-communist Eastern Europe reflect deep-seated political and national rivalries? In this episode we discuss the book by Emil Hilton Saggau, "Nationalisation of the Sacred Orthodox Historiography, Memory, and Politics in Montenegro." We ask what does "Nationalisation of the Sacred" offer regarding the theological backdrop behind ongoing conflicts within Eastern Orthodoxy? A distinguished panel, including Professors Cyril Hovorun and Katharina Kunter, joins the author in reflecting on the book's key arguments and seeks to answer how have various strands of Eastern Orthodoxy adapted to the contemporary political context, transforming history, memory, and politics to suit the needs of rival nations and churches?