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Christian Europe Redux

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  • Fabio Wolkenstein

Abstract

The notion of ‘Christian Europe’ has returned with a vengeance in recent times. It figures prominently in the political rhetoric of conservative nationalists, who link appeals to Europe's Christian heritage and identity to avowedly illiberal political projects. This article examines this revived idea of Christian Europe by contrasting it with the meanings that prominent Christian Democratic leaders ascribed to the term in the post‐war era. This contrast is insightful because it reveals what is distinctive about present understandings of Christian Europe, and it is politically relevant because some of the most committed contemporary proponents of Christian Europe claim to be ‘true’ Christian Democrats. Using Ernst‐Wolfgang Böckenförde's work on the emergence of the modern state as a broad analytical frame, I show that today's visions of Christian Europe are more modern, statist and secular than their post‐war counterparts.

Suggested Citation

  • Fabio Wolkenstein, 2023. "Christian Europe Redux," Journal of Common Market Studies, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 61(3), pages 636-652, May.
    • Handle: RePEc:bla:jcmkts:v:61:y:2023:i:3:p:636-652
    DOI: 10.1111/jcms.13400
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Josef Hien & Fabio Wolkenstein, 2021. "Where Does Europe End? Christian Democracy and the Expansion of Europe," Journal of Common Market Studies, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 59(6), pages 1623-1639, November.
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