Abstract

Nationalism theory has long acknowledged that in its relation to nationalism, ‘religion’ can refer both to a reflexive identity attached to a people group, and to an articulated and reasoned value-based position. Even this bifurcation remains insufficiently precise. Religio-nationalisms reasoned ex patria —that is, beginning with the nationalist and proceeding from there to incorporate religion —tend towards values of exclusivity, division, and animosity to ‘the other’. They have been charged with ‘hijacking’ religion as an identity whilst being at odds with members and leaders of that religion’s practicing community. The exploratory case of the relationship between Russian Orthodoxy and Russian nationalism allows a comparison of ex patria religio-nationalism with its ex religio counterpart. It confirms to a large extent the hypothesis that reasoned religio-nationalism that begins with the religious and proceeds to the nationalist favors in contrast less antagonistic emphases such as inclusivity and benevolence.