Material Culture as a Source of Orthodox Christian Identity in Serbia at the End of the 20th and the Beginning of the 21st Century
Material Culture as a Source of Orthodox Christian Identity in Serbia at the End of the 20th and the Beginning of the 21st Century

Summary/Abstract: Following several decades of dominance by secularism and rationalism, the return to religion has brought new religious practices into the social and cultural life of Serbia. To a certain extent, these transformations imply a return to pre-socialist religious traditions; however, they have predominantly generated new patterns, while trying to fit into the context of the old and the traditional. The resulting social phenomena are most easily seen in material culture, where religiosity most frequently manifests. Examples of these newly-seen forms of religious material culture include the commercialization of religious rites and needs, the intensification of public expressions of religiosity, and a general shift in the focus of religious practices from the spiritual towards the material. This paper discusses the extent to which modern religious needs and behaviour are shaped by current trends, as opposed to traditional patterns of expressing religiosity. Research for the paper included a questionnaire conducted with the aim of indicating how citizens treat the topic in their everyday lives. Another part of the data was acquired through research of media sources.

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