Catholicism and Lutheranism in the Political Culture of the Baltic States

The study analyzes the role of religion in the political culture of the Baltic countries: Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia from the point of view of its influence on its formation and significance for modern times, bearing in mind the secular nature of these states and societies. The methodology of the study is a historical and religious analysis of various religious institutions in these countries, their place in the formation of the political culture of the region and its functioning in modern times. The article highlights the deep foundations of the political culture of the region and the role of religion in politics in the context of secularization, multi-ethnicity and multi-confessional composition of the Baltic population, when the factor of religion is very subtle and fraught with a cultural split in societies. A structural and institutional analysis of the Catholic Church and Lutheran churches in the Baltic countries is carried out. In the context of contemporary foreign policy crises related to the Ukrainian conflict, the ruling elites of Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia support the dominance of Catholicism and Lutheranism in their countries as religions of an ethnic character and historical roots. Churches act as a force consolidating society on the basis of traditional ethno-confessional culture, capable of mobilizing public opinion in the political process. The connection of Catholicism and Lutheranism with the national identity of the titular ethnic groups allows them to speak the language of dominance in the sphere of political culture.