The role of the Georgian Apostolic Autocephalous Orthodox Church in conflicts in the South Caucasus

The article sheds light on the questions related to the presence of Christians in the Georgian territories and demonstrates the important role played by the Georgian Apostolic Autocephalous Orthodox Church in the history of the Georgian people. As the national identity of the Georgians is closely tied to Christianity and autonomous structures of the Church, which has a profound impact of relations with non-Georgian communities (Georgia has the largest percentage of ethnic minorities in the Southern Caucasus) inhabiting Georgia for centuries, speaking its language, but regarded as "alien" due to their "non-Georgian" religion. The fact that the new authorities provided the Georgian Apostolic Autocephalous Orthodox Church with an exceptional role in the state (after the country regained its independence in 1991) has exacerbated ethnic, religious, and social conflicts in Georgia, which translates into the relations of the country with its neighbours. Such are the questions examined by the author in the presented article. The author reveals how, under the conditions in Georgia resulting from the specific relations between the Church and the State, religion was instrumentalised and used to achieve immediate political aims. Her conclusion is that religion in Georgia inspires nationalist entities and supports nationalism.