Abstract

This study analyzed the main scientific theories concerning the religion’s influences on the economic and integration processes. Author focuses attention on the researches carried out on the methodology of social constructivism. This conception emerged as an alternative to realism, liberalism and marxism. These originally spiritually saturated theories eventually transformed to the doctrines, the practical implementation of which led to social and economic crises and conflicts. The statement that social reality is valuable and culturally peculiar appears as the cornerstone of constructivism. Following the Weber’s concept in the researches of religion’s influences on the processes of economic development and integration, social constructivism has critically reworked it. Author identifies three main areas of researches within the framework of this paradigm. In the first area scientists study the influence of religious ideas on the welfare of the population through their interconnection with economic, political and cultural institutions. In the second area explorers analyse the role of religious activity in the formation of subjective assessments of external environment and internal reflection as the factors of economic productivity and social consolidation. In the third area researchers define the value potential of Christianity and its various confessions in the processes of European integration. Summarizing the conclusions of these studies, author shows that the opinion, on which religious norms and institutions continue to influence economic activity, despite the process of secularization in the European Union countries, is established in the framework of social constructivism paradigm. At the same time, constructivists argue that the influence of religious principles on economic development and European integration processes has a complex differential and multiplicative character, which determines the relationship between social actors in the economic, political and cultural spheres both directly and indirectly. Scientistsconstructivists discover the fact that the Christian faith, which has formed unique European ethos, today acts as an existential factor in European integration.