SERBIAN ORTHODOX RELIGIOUS EDUCATION IN SERBIA – HISTORICAL OVERVIEW AND ITS PERSPECTIVES
SERBIAN ORTHODOX RELIGIOUS EDUCATION IN SERBIA – HISTORICAL OVERVIEW AND ITS PERSPECTIVES

Summary/Abstract: At the beginning of the 21st century the Orthodox Church in Serbia has faced with huge challenges. After the period of half-century restrictions under the communist regime in former Yugoslavia, the time of change has come and it brings with itself respectfulness of religious freedom to Serbian people and freedom to practice their religion and express their religious notions publicly. Serbian society strives towards modernization and democratization; it has been trying to make its own new identity among the European Nations. Baring in mind the importance of traditional values and institutions of Serbian people, the Government of the Serbia Republic adopted The Law on Churches and religious communities in 2006 (“Official News SR”, no. 36/2006). Article no. 40 of this Law says that the right of religious education in public and private elementary and secondary schools guaranteed by the Serbian State. Although religious education has been implemented since 2001 as the alternative curriculum in primary and secondary schools by the rules of the Serbian Government (“Official News SR”, no. 46/2001.), religious education is still an issue that provokes great controversial attitudes on the political and social scene of Serbian society until now. By this act, the Government of the Serbia Republic is found itself under pressure of many factors of the civil society, who wants to obstruct the implementation of religious education with the excuse that it harms mentioned democratic processes and that religion is not a part of public sector. The Church over religious education has nowadays very difficult and serious tusk and only time will tell if we are going to overcome all the challenges and to respond to all the questions and needs of pupils, overcoming the temptations in mutual living and working, education and upbringing in accordance with the evangelical enlightenment, change of mind and the deification by introducing students in the life of the Church. A religious teacher alone certainly is not in a position to cooperate with the student's environment and to accomplish the mission, and it is therefore necessary to create a collective atmosphere, including in the exercise missions also the students who do not attend religious education, and family and youth overall environment. Here I mean that in the case of the professors whose subjects have scientific basis different from the religious, but the common curious and open attitude it is certainly possible to overcome seemingly irreconcilable differences of scientific and religious education.

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