Archimandrite Cyril Hovorun, Doctor of Philosophy, Professor at the University College of Stockholm, spoke about the role of religion in Trumpism and Putinism.
In an interview with Radio NV, Hovorun said that religion defines Trumpism to a greater extent than Putinism.
“The role of religion and the church in Russia is much smaller than that of churches in America. In Russia, even three to four percent of the population attending church would be a very good indicator. Although people do not go to church, they certainly have an identity, and they identify with Orthodoxy. Putin capitalizes on this identity, turning it into support for himself with the help of his operators, such as Patriarch Kirill,” the professor explained.
He called Patriarch Kirill “an operator of capitalizing the identity of Orthodoxy” in support of Russian dictator Vladimir Putin and the war he is waging.
“In America, the situation is different because religion has a much greater influence. Many more people go to church, and thus the religious fabric is much more colorful. There is no patriarch Kirill, so to speak, who would be a monopolist and single-handedly transform religious feelings into some political ideas. Still, the trend is very similar. The tendency is to transform religious feelings and faith into political support,” Hovorun adds.
He noted that both Russian and American religious circles adopt a fideistic attitude toward leaders, that is, the opposite of rational.
“Classical political theories assume that politicians are chosen by voters according to certain rational criteria. That is, they look at what the politician promises, their program, etc. In the environments that elect Trump and Putin, respectively, religious environments, this approach does not work, rationality does not work. Faith does. People believe in them. This faith, this attitude is called fideism,” the professor said.
Hovorun is convinced that fideism is a common feature of Trumpism and Putinism.
“No matter what Trump does (let's say he crashes the stock market in America or starts a war in which Rednecks die), he will still be forgiven because he is not treated rationally. He is treated as a phenomenon of faith, a messiah. The same goes for Putin. Putin has collapsed the Russian economy, is killing his followers en masse in the war, and no one cares. Everyone is happy about it,” the professor said.
He also confirmed that this phenomenon can be considered a cult of personality.
“Yes, it is a cult of personality. It is a personalistic cult when a person is seen as a political leader, as someone who is above the law. Even in a society as sensitive to the rule of law as the American one, it is possible that Trump defiantly promises to ignore the law (and he is already doing it). This is also a consequence of missionary and fideistic attitudes toward leaders,” Hovorun said.