Vjekoslav Perica
- Published in print:
- 2002
- Published Online:
- November 2003
- ISBN:
- 9780195148565
- eISBN:
- 9780199834556
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/0195148568.003.0009
- Subject:
- Religion, Religion and Society
After Tito's death, ethnic nationalism was simmering in all parts of Yugoslavia from Slovenia in the northwest to Kosovo in the southeast. The secular politics of the regime's establishment involved ...
More
After Tito's death, ethnic nationalism was simmering in all parts of Yugoslavia from Slovenia in the northwest to Kosovo in the southeast. The secular politics of the regime's establishment involved factional quarrels, and the activities of secular intellectual elites have been analyzed at length elsewhere. The religious scene, where important things occurred, has remained obscure, yet visible religious symbols and movements were no less telling harbingers of what was to happen in the 1990s; these are the subject of this chapter. The different sections cover: the clerical offensive and the communist regime's last stand (1979–87); the promise of peaceful transition (moderate religious policies and the belated democratization of the regime, 1988–90); ethnoreligious realignment and multiparty elections; worsening relations between the Catholic and Orthodox Churches, and the schisms between nation‐states in the Serbian Orthodox Church; the Churches and the official history of the genocide of Serbs by Croats in World War II; the establishment of a site of Serb martyrdom at Jasenovac in Croatia (completed in 1983) to commemorate the genocide of 1941, and the myths surrounding this; disputes over holy places; the collapse of interfaith dialog; untimely Serbian commemorations of World War II sufferings in 1990–1; and calls for partition and revenge by the Serbs.Less
After Tito's death, ethnic nationalism was simmering in all parts of Yugoslavia from Slovenia in the northwest to Kosovo in the southeast. The secular politics of the regime's establishment involved factional quarrels, and the activities of secular intellectual elites have been analyzed at length elsewhere. The religious scene, where important things occurred, has remained obscure, yet visible religious symbols and movements were no less telling harbingers of what was to happen in the 1990s; these are the subject of this chapter. The different sections cover: the clerical offensive and the communist regime's last stand (1979–87); the promise of peaceful transition (moderate religious policies and the belated democratization of the regime, 1988–90); ethnoreligious realignment and multiparty elections; worsening relations between the Catholic and Orthodox Churches, and the schisms between nation‐states in the Serbian Orthodox Church; the Churches and the official history of the genocide of Serbs by Croats in World War II; the establishment of a site of Serb martyrdom at Jasenovac in Croatia (completed in 1983) to commemorate the genocide of 1941, and the myths surrounding this; disputes over holy places; the collapse of interfaith dialog; untimely Serbian commemorations of World War II sufferings in 1990–1; and calls for partition and revenge by the Serbs.
Vera Shevzov
- Published in print:
- 2004
- Published Online:
- January 2005
- ISBN:
- 9780195154658
- eISBN:
- 9780199835249
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/0195154657.003.0002
- Subject:
- Religion, History of Christianity
This chapter focuses on the debates about church and community that emerged in 1905. It briefly discusses the legislation that was the basis of the institutional structure of the Russian Orthodox ...
More
This chapter focuses on the debates about church and community that emerged in 1905. It briefly discusses the legislation that was the basis of the institutional structure of the Russian Orthodox Church, namely the Spiritual Regulation of Peter the Great. It then turns to the tensions emerging in the theological realm, epitomized by the contrast between the thought of the bishop of Moscow Makarii Bulgakov, and lay theologian, Slavophile and landowner Aleksei Khomiakov. This is followed by a discussion on the competing ecclesial views of two Orthodox canon lawyers, A.A. Papkov and I.S. Berdnikov.Less
This chapter focuses on the debates about church and community that emerged in 1905. It briefly discusses the legislation that was the basis of the institutional structure of the Russian Orthodox Church, namely the Spiritual Regulation of Peter the Great. It then turns to the tensions emerging in the theological realm, epitomized by the contrast between the thought of the bishop of Moscow Makarii Bulgakov, and lay theologian, Slavophile and landowner Aleksei Khomiakov. This is followed by a discussion on the competing ecclesial views of two Orthodox canon lawyers, A.A. Papkov and I.S. Berdnikov.
J. M. Hussey
- Published in print:
- 1990
- Published Online:
- April 2004
- ISBN:
- 9780198264569
- eISBN:
- 9780191601170
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/0198264569.003.0009
- Subject:
- Religion, Church History
Covers the period 1258–1453, and various complex issues and history of the Orthodox Church are addressed following the re‐establishment of certain parts of the Byzantine Empire and the demise of the ...
More
Covers the period 1258–1453, and various complex issues and history of the Orthodox Church are addressed following the re‐establishment of certain parts of the Byzantine Empire and the demise of the Latin Empire. The different sections of the chapter are: Michael VIII Palaeologus and the papacy: Byzantine doubts concerning union [of Byzantine (Greek) and Roman (Latin) Churches] 1258–74; Michael VIII and the council of Lyons (1274); Byzantine reaction to the union 1274–82; Andronicus II and Andronicus III: internal problems: Josephites and Arsenites: repudiation of the union; Patriarch Athanasius I and his immediate successors; Renewed contacts with the West under Emperors Andronicus II and Andronicus III; Palamite problems; Emperors John V Palaeologus and John VI Cantacuzenus: Constantinople and the West; Emperor Manuel II: the council of Ferrara–Florence and after; and The authority of the Byzantine Church in the later Middle Ages (c. 1334–1453).Less
Covers the period 1258–1453, and various complex issues and history of the Orthodox Church are addressed following the re‐establishment of certain parts of the Byzantine Empire and the demise of the Latin Empire. The different sections of the chapter are: Michael VIII Palaeologus and the papacy: Byzantine doubts concerning union [of Byzantine (Greek) and Roman (Latin) Churches] 1258–74; Michael VIII and the council of Lyons (1274); Byzantine reaction to the union 1274–82; Andronicus II and Andronicus III: internal problems: Josephites and Arsenites: repudiation of the union; Patriarch Athanasius I and his immediate successors; Renewed contacts with the West under Emperors Andronicus II and Andronicus III; Palamite problems; Emperors John V Palaeologus and John VI Cantacuzenus: Constantinople and the West; Emperor Manuel II: the council of Ferrara–Florence and after; and The authority of the Byzantine Church in the later Middle Ages (c. 1334–1453).
Lavinia Stan and Lucian Turcescu
- Published in print:
- 2011
- Published Online:
- September 2011
- ISBN:
- 9780195337105
- eISBN:
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780195337105.003.0002
- Subject:
- Religion, Religion and Society
During the last two decades post-communist Bulgaria has greatly relaxed state control over religious activities; but some of its legislative provisions still do not have counterparts in other new ...
More
During the last two decades post-communist Bulgaria has greatly relaxed state control over religious activities; but some of its legislative provisions still do not have counterparts in other new European Union member states. The dominant religion alone is recognized as traditional, only the canonical Orthodox Church is deemed a legal person ex lege, political parties built on religious lines are prohibited, splinter religious groups are prohibited from using the name or property of already registered denominations while persons who practice publicly on behalf of an unregistered religious group can incur large fines. Religious denominations have taken a traditional and conservative stand relative to sexuality, abortion, homosexuality, and same-sex marriages, without being able to limit Bulgaria's rather permissive abortion policy.Less
During the last two decades post-communist Bulgaria has greatly relaxed state control over religious activities; but some of its legislative provisions still do not have counterparts in other new European Union member states. The dominant religion alone is recognized as traditional, only the canonical Orthodox Church is deemed a legal person ex lege, political parties built on religious lines are prohibited, splinter religious groups are prohibited from using the name or property of already registered denominations while persons who practice publicly on behalf of an unregistered religious group can incur large fines. Religious denominations have taken a traditional and conservative stand relative to sexuality, abortion, homosexuality, and same-sex marriages, without being able to limit Bulgaria's rather permissive abortion policy.
Vjekoslav Perica
- Published in print:
- 2002
- Published Online:
- November 2003
- ISBN:
- 9780195148565
- eISBN:
- 9780199834556
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/0195148568.003.0003
- Subject:
- Religion, Religion and Society
The role of the Serbian Orthodox Church during the years of the communist federation of Yugoslavia is discussed in the context of Tito's suppression of Serbian secular nationalism, which in the end ...
More
The role of the Serbian Orthodox Church during the years of the communist federation of Yugoslavia is discussed in the context of Tito's suppression of Serbian secular nationalism, which in the end led to an upsurge of clerical nationalism that would during the last two decades of Yugoslavia's life successfully appropriate and virtually monopolize ethnic nationalist causes. Among the events covered in the chapter are the rise of Serbian ethnic nationalism, the rise of Albanian ethnic nationalism in Kosovo, the seeking of independence from the Serbian Orthodox Church by the Macedonian and Montenegrin branches of that Church, and the schism in the North American branch of the Serbian Church. Surveys of religiosity in the Catholic, Muslim, and Orthodox communities in the 1960s are also reported and relations between the Russian and Serbian Orthodox Churches discussed.Less
The role of the Serbian Orthodox Church during the years of the communist federation of Yugoslavia is discussed in the context of Tito's suppression of Serbian secular nationalism, which in the end led to an upsurge of clerical nationalism that would during the last two decades of Yugoslavia's life successfully appropriate and virtually monopolize ethnic nationalist causes. Among the events covered in the chapter are the rise of Serbian ethnic nationalism, the rise of Albanian ethnic nationalism in Kosovo, the seeking of independence from the Serbian Orthodox Church by the Macedonian and Montenegrin branches of that Church, and the schism in the North American branch of the Serbian Church. Surveys of religiosity in the Catholic, Muslim, and Orthodox communities in the 1960s are also reported and relations between the Russian and Serbian Orthodox Churches discussed.
Volker L. Menze
- Published in print:
- 2008
- Published Online:
- September 2008
- ISBN:
- 9780199534876
- eISBN:
- 9780191716041
- Item type:
- book
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199534876.001.0001
- Subject:
- Religion, Early Christian Studies
This study historicizes the formation of the Syrian Orthodox Church in the first half of the 6th century. The Council of Chalcedon in 451 divided eastern Christianity, with those who were later ...
More
This study historicizes the formation of the Syrian Orthodox Church in the first half of the 6th century. The Council of Chalcedon in 451 divided eastern Christianity, with those who were later called Syrian Orthodox among the Christians in the near eastern provinces who refused to accept the decisions of the council. These non-Chalcedonians (still better known under the misleading term monophysites) separated from the church of the empire after Justin I attempted to enforce Chalcedon in the East in 518. The book covers the period from the accession of Justin to the Second Council of Constantinople in 553. It focuses in the first two chapters on imperial and papal policy from a non-Chalcedonian, eastern perspective. Chapters 3 and 4 discuss monks, monasteries, and the complex issues of sacraments and non-Chalcedonian church life. Chapter 5 and the general conclusion complete the book with a study of the working of ‘collective memory’ among the non-Chalcedonians and the construction of a Syrian Orthodox identity. The study is a histoire évènementielle of actual religious practice, especially concerning the Eucharist and the diptychs, and of ecclesiastical and imperial policy which modifies the traditional view of how emperors (and in the case of Theodora: empresses) ruled the late Roman/early Byzantine empire. By combining this detailed analysis of secular and ecclesiastical politics with a study of long-term strategies of memorialization, the book also focuses on deep structures of collective memory on which the tradition of the present Syrian Orthodox Church is founded.Less
This study historicizes the formation of the Syrian Orthodox Church in the first half of the 6th century. The Council of Chalcedon in 451 divided eastern Christianity, with those who were later called Syrian Orthodox among the Christians in the near eastern provinces who refused to accept the decisions of the council. These non-Chalcedonians (still better known under the misleading term monophysites) separated from the church of the empire after Justin I attempted to enforce Chalcedon in the East in 518. The book covers the period from the accession of Justin to the Second Council of Constantinople in 553. It focuses in the first two chapters on imperial and papal policy from a non-Chalcedonian, eastern perspective. Chapters 3 and 4 discuss monks, monasteries, and the complex issues of sacraments and non-Chalcedonian church life. Chapter 5 and the general conclusion complete the book with a study of the working of ‘collective memory’ among the non-Chalcedonians and the construction of a Syrian Orthodox identity. The study is a histoire évènementielle of actual religious practice, especially concerning the Eucharist and the diptychs, and of ecclesiastical and imperial policy which modifies the traditional view of how emperors (and in the case of Theodora: empresses) ruled the late Roman/early Byzantine empire. By combining this detailed analysis of secular and ecclesiastical politics with a study of long-term strategies of memorialization, the book also focuses on deep structures of collective memory on which the tradition of the present Syrian Orthodox Church is founded.
J. M. Hussey
- Published in print:
- 1990
- Published Online:
- April 2004
- ISBN:
- 9780198264569
- eISBN:
- 9780191601170
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/0198264569.003.0007
- Subject:
- Religion, Church History
Starts by discussing the impending internal and external threats to the Byzantine Empire in 1025–1204, which led in the later Middle Ages to any pre‐eminence in East Mediterranean politics being lost ...
More
Starts by discussing the impending internal and external threats to the Byzantine Empire in 1025–1204, which led in the later Middle Ages to any pre‐eminence in East Mediterranean politics being lost until the Empire was finally submerged into the Muslim Ottoman Empire. The Orthodox Church itself, however, survived this downfall. Sections 2–4 of the chapter discuss the following: the successive patriarchs in the period 1025–81; continuity in the period 1081–1180, when for nearly 100 years three able rulers (Emperors Alexius I Comenus, his son John II Comenus, and grandson Manuel I Comenus) gave an apparent measure of stability to Byzantium; heresy trials during the patriarchates of Cosmas I (1075–81) and Eustratius Garidas (1081–4), who did not themselves take the lead against the philosopher intellectuals, which was rather taken by Emperors Alexius I and Manuel I. The fifth section discusses the dualist heresies and actions taken against them—the Armenian Paulicians, whose essence of belief was that there is a distinction between the two principles of good and evil, with matter regarded as evil so that the fundamental Christian belief in the incarnation and in the sacraments and hierarchy were rejected, and the Bulgarian Bogomilism, which is closely linked to Messalianism. The last section discusses the changing relations of Byzantium (and the Orthodox Church) with the West and the first four crusades (1097–1204).Less
Starts by discussing the impending internal and external threats to the Byzantine Empire in 1025–1204, which led in the later Middle Ages to any pre‐eminence in East Mediterranean politics being lost until the Empire was finally submerged into the Muslim Ottoman Empire. The Orthodox Church itself, however, survived this downfall. Sections 2–4 of the chapter discuss the following: the successive patriarchs in the period 1025–81; continuity in the period 1081–1180, when for nearly 100 years three able rulers (Emperors Alexius I Comenus, his son John II Comenus, and grandson Manuel I Comenus) gave an apparent measure of stability to Byzantium; heresy trials during the patriarchates of Cosmas I (1075–81) and Eustratius Garidas (1081–4), who did not themselves take the lead against the philosopher intellectuals, which was rather taken by Emperors Alexius I and Manuel I. The fifth section discusses the dualist heresies and actions taken against them—the Armenian Paulicians, whose essence of belief was that there is a distinction between the two principles of good and evil, with matter regarded as evil so that the fundamental Christian belief in the incarnation and in the sacraments and hierarchy were rejected, and the Bulgarian Bogomilism, which is closely linked to Messalianism. The last section discusses the changing relations of Byzantium (and the Orthodox Church) with the West and the first four crusades (1097–1204).
Vjekoslav Perica
- Published in print:
- 2002
- Published Online:
- November 2003
- ISBN:
- 9780195148565
- eISBN:
- 9780199834556
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/0195148568.003.0001
- Subject:
- Religion, Religion and Society
Introduces the book by discussing the symbolic destruction of churches, monasteries and other monuments and sacred places of the Serbian Orthodox Church, the Catholic Church in Croatia and ...
More
Introduces the book by discussing the symbolic destruction of churches, monasteries and other monuments and sacred places of the Serbian Orthodox Church, the Catholic Church in Croatia and Bosnia‐Herzegovina, and the Yugoslav Muslim Religious Organization (Islamic community), and also in Albania that occurred during the various wars in the Yugoslav region in the 1990s. It then discusses myth in relation to the nation‐state. The last and main part of the chapter gives accounts of the four mainstream Yugoslav religious institutions (the Serbian Orthodox Church, Croatian Catholicism, the Muslim Religious Organization (Islamic community), and the Church and Nation of Macedonia), and also discusses the religious minority groups of the region (there are around 40, of which 14 are listed), and interfaith relations.Less
Introduces the book by discussing the symbolic destruction of churches, monasteries and other monuments and sacred places of the Serbian Orthodox Church, the Catholic Church in Croatia and Bosnia‐Herzegovina, and the Yugoslav Muslim Religious Organization (Islamic community), and also in Albania that occurred during the various wars in the Yugoslav region in the 1990s. It then discusses myth in relation to the nation‐state. The last and main part of the chapter gives accounts of the four mainstream Yugoslav religious institutions (the Serbian Orthodox Church, Croatian Catholicism, the Muslim Religious Organization (Islamic community), and the Church and Nation of Macedonia), and also discusses the religious minority groups of the region (there are around 40, of which 14 are listed), and interfaith relations.
J. M. Hussey
- Published in print:
- 1990
- Published Online:
- April 2004
- ISBN:
- 9780198264569
- eISBN:
- 9780191601170
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/0198264569.003.0008
- Subject:
- Religion, Church History
The effects of the fall of the Byzantine Empire in 1204 and the subsequent establishment of a Latin Empire in the area covered by the Orthodox Church as a result of the Fourth Crusade are discussed. ...
More
The effects of the fall of the Byzantine Empire in 1204 and the subsequent establishment of a Latin Empire in the area covered by the Orthodox Church as a result of the Fourth Crusade are discussed. The period covered is 1204–61. The different sections of the chapter address the following: the Latin patriarchate of Orthodox Constantinople (1204–61); ecclesiastical organization within the various Latin conquests—Greece and the Cyclades, Venetian Crete, and Cyprus; thirteenth century rival Byzantine Churches—Nicaea and Epirus; and the Nicaean Empire and Rome.Less
The effects of the fall of the Byzantine Empire in 1204 and the subsequent establishment of a Latin Empire in the area covered by the Orthodox Church as a result of the Fourth Crusade are discussed. The period covered is 1204–61. The different sections of the chapter address the following: the Latin patriarchate of Orthodox Constantinople (1204–61); ecclesiastical organization within the various Latin conquests—Greece and the Cyclades, Venetian Crete, and Cyprus; thirteenth century rival Byzantine Churches—Nicaea and Epirus; and the Nicaean Empire and Rome.
Vjekoslav Perica
- Published in print:
- 2002
- Published Online:
- November 2003
- ISBN:
- 9780195148565
- eISBN:
- 9780199834556
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/0195148568.003.0010
- Subject:
- Religion, Religion and Society
The first part of the chapter gives a brief account of the bloody fratricidal war fought in Croatia and Bosnia‐Herzegovina in 1991–5, which resulted from ethnic nationalistic revolutions aimed at ...
More
The first part of the chapter gives a brief account of the bloody fratricidal war fought in Croatia and Bosnia‐Herzegovina in 1991–5, which resulted from ethnic nationalistic revolutions aimed at destroying the multiethnic federation of Yugoslavia founded by the communists, and establishing independent homogeneous states. Further wars would continue in 1998 (between the Serbs and Albanians in Kosovo) and in 2001 (between Albanians and Macedonians in Macedonia). The main part of the chapter discusses religion and nationalism in these successor states – Islam and Muslim nationalism in Bosnia‐Herzegovina, Catholicism (the Madonna of Medjugorje) and Croatian nationalism in Bosnia‐Herzegovina and Croatia, and the Orthodox Church in Serbia (and Kosovo), Macedonia, and Montenegro. The remaining two sections of the chapter discuss saint making in Croatia in the late 1990s, and the role of religious organizations in the international peace process.Less
The first part of the chapter gives a brief account of the bloody fratricidal war fought in Croatia and Bosnia‐Herzegovina in 1991–5, which resulted from ethnic nationalistic revolutions aimed at destroying the multiethnic federation of Yugoslavia founded by the communists, and establishing independent homogeneous states. Further wars would continue in 1998 (between the Serbs and Albanians in Kosovo) and in 2001 (between Albanians and Macedonians in Macedonia). The main part of the chapter discusses religion and nationalism in these successor states – Islam and Muslim nationalism in Bosnia‐Herzegovina, Catholicism (the Madonna of Medjugorje) and Croatian nationalism in Bosnia‐Herzegovina and Croatia, and the Orthodox Church in Serbia (and Kosovo), Macedonia, and Montenegro. The remaining two sections of the chapter discuss saint making in Croatia in the late 1990s, and the role of religious organizations in the international peace process.
Brian Stanley
- Published in print:
- 2019
- Published Online:
- May 2020
- ISBN:
- 9780691196848
- eISBN:
- 9781400890316
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Princeton University Press
- DOI:
- 10.23943/princeton/9780691196848.003.0015
- Subject:
- History, History of Religion
This chapter details how, in the course of the twentieth century, the position of the Orthodox and Oriental Orthodox Churches weakened markedly—and apparently irreversibly—in some of their historic ...
More
This chapter details how, in the course of the twentieth century, the position of the Orthodox and Oriental Orthodox Churches weakened markedly—and apparently irreversibly—in some of their historic strongholds, such as Egypt and Palestine, while in most of eastern Europe, Orthodoxy came under severe ideological pressure from communist regimes between 1917 and 1989, only to emerge into the post-Soviet era remarkably intact. Perhaps the most striking feature of Orthodox history during the century is the extent of the global diffusion—yet at the same time tendency to ethnic fragmentation—of Orthodox Christianity. By the close of the century, there were more than 3 million Orthodox Christians in North America, who were subject to at least fifteen different ecclesiastical jurisdictions. The primary reason for such geographical and institutional diffusion was the intercontinental migration of diverse Orthodox populations from various parts of eastern and central Europe, but an important secondary reason was the growing appeal that Orthodoxy exerted on Christians who for one reason or another had become dissatisfied with their former Protestant or Catholic allegiance. By the 1990s, the Orthodox Church was one of the very few churches in western Europe or North America that was displaying steady growth, as a result of both immigration and conversion.Less
This chapter details how, in the course of the twentieth century, the position of the Orthodox and Oriental Orthodox Churches weakened markedly—and apparently irreversibly—in some of their historic strongholds, such as Egypt and Palestine, while in most of eastern Europe, Orthodoxy came under severe ideological pressure from communist regimes between 1917 and 1989, only to emerge into the post-Soviet era remarkably intact. Perhaps the most striking feature of Orthodox history during the century is the extent of the global diffusion—yet at the same time tendency to ethnic fragmentation—of Orthodox Christianity. By the close of the century, there were more than 3 million Orthodox Christians in North America, who were subject to at least fifteen different ecclesiastical jurisdictions. The primary reason for such geographical and institutional diffusion was the intercontinental migration of diverse Orthodox populations from various parts of eastern and central Europe, but an important secondary reason was the growing appeal that Orthodoxy exerted on Christians who for one reason or another had become dissatisfied with their former Protestant or Catholic allegiance. By the 1990s, the Orthodox Church was one of the very few churches in western Europe or North America that was displaying steady growth, as a result of both immigration and conversion.
Lavinia Stan and Lucian Turcescu
- Published in print:
- 2011
- Published Online:
- September 2011
- ISBN:
- 9780195337105
- eISBN:
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780195337105.003.0009
- Subject:
- Religion, Religion and Society
Romania is similar to Poland in terms of church-state relations. The Orthodox Church has been a powerful player in the post-1989 political arena, obtaining privileges from the state that also ...
More
Romania is similar to Poland in terms of church-state relations. The Orthodox Church has been a powerful player in the post-1989 political arena, obtaining privileges from the state that also benefited the country's smaller denominations. The introduction of religious education in public schools has been its most important post-communist achievement. The Orthodox Church has cast itself as a supporter for political candidates who wanted to win parliamentary and presidential elections, many of whom have had to court this powerful church before elections, and even deliver some of their promises after being elected. Opposition against the legalization of homosexuality has been an important card religious groups have played in a country where the issue of abortion is such a sensitive one that many do not dare to confront it directly. The Orthodox Church did not obtain recognition as the “national church,” but it made sure that, in a country declaring the state's neutrality toward the church, religious denominations were to be recognized as “public utilities” funded by taxpayers' money.Less
Romania is similar to Poland in terms of church-state relations. The Orthodox Church has been a powerful player in the post-1989 political arena, obtaining privileges from the state that also benefited the country's smaller denominations. The introduction of religious education in public schools has been its most important post-communist achievement. The Orthodox Church has cast itself as a supporter for political candidates who wanted to win parliamentary and presidential elections, many of whom have had to court this powerful church before elections, and even deliver some of their promises after being elected. Opposition against the legalization of homosexuality has been an important card religious groups have played in a country where the issue of abortion is such a sensitive one that many do not dare to confront it directly. The Orthodox Church did not obtain recognition as the “national church,” but it made sure that, in a country declaring the state's neutrality toward the church, religious denominations were to be recognized as “public utilities” funded by taxpayers' money.
Vjekoslav Perica
- Published in print:
- 2002
- Published Online:
- November 2003
- ISBN:
- 9780195148565
- eISBN:
- 9780199834556
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/0195148568.003.0008
- Subject:
- Religion, Religion and Society
The chapter starts with a brief account of Albanian anti‐Serbian activities (attacks on Serbian sacred places and monuments, said to be fuelled by religious hatred) in Kosovo in the 1980s. It then ...
More
The chapter starts with a brief account of Albanian anti‐Serbian activities (attacks on Serbian sacred places and monuments, said to be fuelled by religious hatred) in Kosovo in the 1980s. It then goes on to discuss shrines as a powerful symbolic energizer to the Serbian nationalist movement of the 1980s, with accounts of the building of the new cathedral in Belgrade, and notes on the construction of Serbian churches in Serbia, Croatia, Bosnia, Montenegro, and Kosovo. Next an account is given of the Milošević era, including his initial pacification of Kosovo (which enabled more restoration and building of Serbian sacred sites, and a program of pilgrimages, jubilees, etc.) and his pilgrimage to the thirteenth‐century Hilandar monastery at the holy mountain of Athos in Greece, which paved the way for a new role of the Serbian Orthodox Church in the Serbian nationalist movement.Less
The chapter starts with a brief account of Albanian anti‐Serbian activities (attacks on Serbian sacred places and monuments, said to be fuelled by religious hatred) in Kosovo in the 1980s. It then goes on to discuss shrines as a powerful symbolic energizer to the Serbian nationalist movement of the 1980s, with accounts of the building of the new cathedral in Belgrade, and notes on the construction of Serbian churches in Serbia, Croatia, Bosnia, Montenegro, and Kosovo. Next an account is given of the Milošević era, including his initial pacification of Kosovo (which enabled more restoration and building of Serbian sacred sites, and a program of pilgrimages, jubilees, etc.) and his pilgrimage to the thirteenth‐century Hilandar monastery at the holy mountain of Athos in Greece, which paved the way for a new role of the Serbian Orthodox Church in the Serbian nationalist movement.
Vjekoslav Perica
- Published in print:
- 2002
- Published Online:
- November 2003
- ISBN:
- 9780195148565
- eISBN:
- 9780199834556
- Item type:
- book
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/0195148568.001.0001
- Subject:
- Religion, Religion and Society
Written on the basis of a wide range of South Slav sources and previously unpublished, often confidential documents from communist state archives, as well as on the author's own on‐the‐ground ...
More
Written on the basis of a wide range of South Slav sources and previously unpublished, often confidential documents from communist state archives, as well as on the author's own on‐the‐ground experience as a journalist, this book explores the political role and influence of religious organizations, namely, the Serbian Orthodox Church, the Catholic Church in Croatia and Bosnia‐Herzegovina, and the Yugoslav Muslim Organization (Islamic community) over the course of the last century. The author emphatically rejects the notion that a “clash of civilizations” has played a central role in fomenting aggression in the former Yugoslavia. He finds no compelling evidence of an upsurge in religious fervor among the general population. Rather, he concludes, the primary religious players in the conflicts have been activist clergy. What emerges from the book, which aims to be the first political history of religion in modern Yugoslav states, and combines narrative and analysis, is a deeply nuanced understanding of the history and troubled future of one of the world's most volatile regions. The narrative presents the process of the making, decay, and collapse of several regimes and nation‐states chronologically, highlighting the role of religion in these processes, while also presenting the history of the religious institutions mentioned above. The analysis deals with the role of religious institutions, symbols, and practices in state formation and destruction. The book starts with a chronology (1935–2002) and maps of the region as background to what follows in the 12 chapters.Less
Written on the basis of a wide range of South Slav sources and previously unpublished, often confidential documents from communist state archives, as well as on the author's own on‐the‐ground experience as a journalist, this book explores the political role and influence of religious organizations, namely, the Serbian Orthodox Church, the Catholic Church in Croatia and Bosnia‐Herzegovina, and the Yugoslav Muslim Organization (Islamic community) over the course of the last century. The author emphatically rejects the notion that a “clash of civilizations” has played a central role in fomenting aggression in the former Yugoslavia. He finds no compelling evidence of an upsurge in religious fervor among the general population. Rather, he concludes, the primary religious players in the conflicts have been activist clergy. What emerges from the book, which aims to be the first political history of religion in modern Yugoslav states, and combines narrative and analysis, is a deeply nuanced understanding of the history and troubled future of one of the world's most volatile regions. The narrative presents the process of the making, decay, and collapse of several regimes and nation‐states chronologically, highlighting the role of religion in these processes, while also presenting the history of the religious institutions mentioned above. The analysis deals with the role of religious institutions, symbols, and practices in state formation and destruction. The book starts with a chronology (1935–2002) and maps of the region as background to what follows in the 12 chapters.
Ilya Vinkovetsky
- Published in print:
- 2011
- Published Online:
- May 2011
- ISBN:
- 9780195391282
- eISBN:
- 9780199894369
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780195391282.003.0007
- Subject:
- History, World Modern History
This chapter examines the contradictions and tensions between the missionaries of the Russian Orthodox Church and the officials of the Russian-American Company and how these affected Russian policies ...
More
This chapter examines the contradictions and tensions between the missionaries of the Russian Orthodox Church and the officials of the Russian-American Company and how these affected Russian policies toward Alaska Natives. The chapter argues that the Church and the RAC had different, but overlapping goals in shaping the Russian relationship with the Natives. The Church sought converts and the Company needed workers. This chapter highlights the cooperative relationship between the church and the RAC, which was initiated in the 1840s by Ioann Veniaminov with the establishment of a new diocese, as an important shift in the role of christianization in Russian colonial policy. Working side by side, the Church and the Company were able to advance christianization, pacification, and russianization of the colony's indigenous people in a more coordinated way.Less
This chapter examines the contradictions and tensions between the missionaries of the Russian Orthodox Church and the officials of the Russian-American Company and how these affected Russian policies toward Alaska Natives. The chapter argues that the Church and the RAC had different, but overlapping goals in shaping the Russian relationship with the Natives. The Church sought converts and the Company needed workers. This chapter highlights the cooperative relationship between the church and the RAC, which was initiated in the 1840s by Ioann Veniaminov with the establishment of a new diocese, as an important shift in the role of christianization in Russian colonial policy. Working side by side, the Church and the Company were able to advance christianization, pacification, and russianization of the colony's indigenous people in a more coordinated way.
Lavinia Stan and Lucian Turcescu
- Published in print:
- 2011
- Published Online:
- September 2011
- ISBN:
- 9780195337105
- eISBN:
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780195337105.003.0004
- Subject:
- Religion, Religion and Society
A country with significant Lutheran, Catholic, and Eastern Orthodox communities, Estonia remains the most secular Baltic state, and one of the least religious new EU member states. The local Orthodox ...
More
A country with significant Lutheran, Catholic, and Eastern Orthodox communities, Estonia remains the most secular Baltic state, and one of the least religious new EU member states. The local Orthodox Church, whose members are mostly Russian-speakers, remains split between the Moscow and Constantinople Patriarchates. Estonia is also the only Baltic country where registration of religious denominations depends on the Ministry of Interior, and where the ten main officially recognized Christian churches are organized in a Council of Churches that negotiates with the state on relevant religious matters.Less
A country with significant Lutheran, Catholic, and Eastern Orthodox communities, Estonia remains the most secular Baltic state, and one of the least religious new EU member states. The local Orthodox Church, whose members are mostly Russian-speakers, remains split between the Moscow and Constantinople Patriarchates. Estonia is also the only Baltic country where registration of religious denominations depends on the Ministry of Interior, and where the ten main officially recognized Christian churches are organized in a Council of Churches that negotiates with the state on relevant religious matters.
Magdi Guirguis and Nelly van Doorn-Harder
- Published in print:
- 2011
- Published Online:
- May 2012
- ISBN:
- 9789774161032
- eISBN:
- 9781617971037
- Item type:
- book
- Publisher:
- American University in Cairo Press
- DOI:
- 10.5743/cairo/9789774161032.001.0001
- Subject:
- Religion, History of Christianity
This third and final volume of The Popes of Egypt spans the five centuries from the arrival of the Ottomans in 1517 to the present era. Hardly any scholarly work has been written about the Copts ...
More
This third and final volume of The Popes of Egypt spans the five centuries from the arrival of the Ottomans in 1517 to the present era. Hardly any scholarly work has been written about the Copts during the Ottoman period. Using court, financial, and building records, as well as archives from the Coptic Orthodox Patriarchate and monasteries, this book reconstructs the authority of the popes and the organization of the Coptic community during this time. The chapters reveal that the popes held complete authority over their flock at the beginning of the Ottoman rule, deciding over questions ranging from marriage and concubines to civil disputes. As the fortunes of Coptic notables rose, they gradually took over the pope's role, and it was not until the time of Muhammad Ali that the popes regained their former authority. In the second part of the book, the chapters analyze how with the dawning of the modern era in the nineteenth century, the leadership style of the Coptic popes necessarily changed drastically. They address also the political, religious, and cultural issues faced by the patriarchs while leading the Coptic community into the twenty-first century.Less
This third and final volume of The Popes of Egypt spans the five centuries from the arrival of the Ottomans in 1517 to the present era. Hardly any scholarly work has been written about the Copts during the Ottoman period. Using court, financial, and building records, as well as archives from the Coptic Orthodox Patriarchate and monasteries, this book reconstructs the authority of the popes and the organization of the Coptic community during this time. The chapters reveal that the popes held complete authority over their flock at the beginning of the Ottoman rule, deciding over questions ranging from marriage and concubines to civil disputes. As the fortunes of Coptic notables rose, they gradually took over the pope's role, and it was not until the time of Muhammad Ali that the popes regained their former authority. In the second part of the book, the chapters analyze how with the dawning of the modern era in the nineteenth century, the leadership style of the Coptic popes necessarily changed drastically. They address also the political, religious, and cultural issues faced by the patriarchs while leading the Coptic community into the twenty-first century.
John Anderson
- Published in print:
- 2009
- Published Online:
- July 2012
- ISBN:
- 9780719077388
- eISBN:
- 9781781702000
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Manchester University Press
- DOI:
- 10.7228/manchester/9780719077388.003.0005
- Subject:
- Political Science, Democratization
This chapter discusses the engagement of the Orthodox tradition with democratic ideas, specifically assessing the issues relating to the relationship of the Orthodox Church to the State and to the ...
More
This chapter discusses the engagement of the Orthodox tradition with democratic ideas, specifically assessing the issues relating to the relationship of the Orthodox Church to the State and to the nation. Orthodox churches have been able to live with a variety of political regimes. The traditionally dominant Orthodox churches tend to look to the past, focusing at the institutional level on developing close ties with the State and arguing that this was perfectly legitimate in countries where the majority of the population identified, however loosely, with the Orthodox tradition. The chapter also shows that Orthodox churches have to some degree sought special rights in terms of access to education, some degree of state funding and provision of religious support in prisons, hospitals and army units. The Orthodox churches have been hampered by the more limited range of theological and intellectual resources dealing with socio-political issues.Less
This chapter discusses the engagement of the Orthodox tradition with democratic ideas, specifically assessing the issues relating to the relationship of the Orthodox Church to the State and to the nation. Orthodox churches have been able to live with a variety of political regimes. The traditionally dominant Orthodox churches tend to look to the past, focusing at the institutional level on developing close ties with the State and arguing that this was perfectly legitimate in countries where the majority of the population identified, however loosely, with the Orthodox tradition. The chapter also shows that Orthodox churches have to some degree sought special rights in terms of access to education, some degree of state funding and provision of religious support in prisons, hospitals and army units. The Orthodox churches have been hampered by the more limited range of theological and intellectual resources dealing with socio-political issues.
Chris Hann and Hermann Goltz
- Published in print:
- 2010
- Published Online:
- May 2012
- ISBN:
- 9780520260559
- eISBN:
- 9780520945920
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- University of California Press
- DOI:
- 10.1525/california/9780520260559.003.0015
- Subject:
- Anthropology, Anthropology, Religion
This chapter takes up the question of why the increasingly public role of the Orthodox Church has been accompanied by public dissatisfaction, and in particular why the church's efforts to serve its ...
More
This chapter takes up the question of why the increasingly public role of the Orthodox Church has been accompanied by public dissatisfaction, and in particular why the church's efforts to serve its followers and other constituents through charitable projects have generated such resounding public criticism. Through a study that compares the types of services provided by Orthodox communities with the perspectives of ordinary Russians, the chapter suggests that the central issue is not one of theological or liturgical differences, but rather a conflict over the nature of religious communities as social institutions and the ethics of compassion and benevolence associated with these communities.Less
This chapter takes up the question of why the increasingly public role of the Orthodox Church has been accompanied by public dissatisfaction, and in particular why the church's efforts to serve its followers and other constituents through charitable projects have generated such resounding public criticism. Through a study that compares the types of services provided by Orthodox communities with the perspectives of ordinary Russians, the chapter suggests that the central issue is not one of theological or liturgical differences, but rather a conflict over the nature of religious communities as social institutions and the ethics of compassion and benevolence associated with these communities.
Lucian N. Leustean
- Published in print:
- 2014
- Published Online:
- January 2015
- ISBN:
- 9780823256068
- eISBN:
- 9780823261307
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Fordham University Press
- DOI:
- 10.5422/fordham/9780823256068.003.0005
- Subject:
- Religion, Religion and Society
This chapter investigates the evolution of the Orthodox Church in the Romanian-inhabited territories of Wallachia, Moldavia, Transylvania, Bukovina and Bessarabia. The 1859 union between the ...
More
This chapter investigates the evolution of the Orthodox Church in the Romanian-inhabited territories of Wallachia, Moldavia, Transylvania, Bukovina and Bessarabia. The 1859 union between the principalities of Wallachia and Moldavia under the rule of Prince Alexandru Ioan Cuza (1859-1866) was closely connected to the rise of the Romanian Orthodox Church outside the jurisdictional authority of the Ecumenical Patriarch. Imposing control of the Church, Cuza introduced the secularisation of monasteries, declared Romanian as the only language spoken in religious rituals, and established a church council, or Synod, that followed his rule. Comparable to Greece's political trajectory, Romanian political leaders sought support from European powers and elected the Roman Catholic Prince Carol I from the Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen family (1866-1914) as head of state. The Romanian Orthodox Church declared autocephaly in 1865, and was recognised by Constantinople in 1885. The proclamation of the Romanian independent kingdom in 1881 was accompanied by increased control of the Church by the state, which led to ecclesiastical instability. Romania provides a unique case within Orthodox Christianity in Southeastern Europe as a competitor church, the Romanian Greek Catholic Church, was one of the most active supporters of national identity in Transylvania under the Habsburg Empire.Less
This chapter investigates the evolution of the Orthodox Church in the Romanian-inhabited territories of Wallachia, Moldavia, Transylvania, Bukovina and Bessarabia. The 1859 union between the principalities of Wallachia and Moldavia under the rule of Prince Alexandru Ioan Cuza (1859-1866) was closely connected to the rise of the Romanian Orthodox Church outside the jurisdictional authority of the Ecumenical Patriarch. Imposing control of the Church, Cuza introduced the secularisation of monasteries, declared Romanian as the only language spoken in religious rituals, and established a church council, or Synod, that followed his rule. Comparable to Greece's political trajectory, Romanian political leaders sought support from European powers and elected the Roman Catholic Prince Carol I from the Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen family (1866-1914) as head of state. The Romanian Orthodox Church declared autocephaly in 1865, and was recognised by Constantinople in 1885. The proclamation of the Romanian independent kingdom in 1881 was accompanied by increased control of the Church by the state, which led to ecclesiastical instability. Romania provides a unique case within Orthodox Christianity in Southeastern Europe as a competitor church, the Romanian Greek Catholic Church, was one of the most active supporters of national identity in Transylvania under the Habsburg Empire.
