Svetlana Janković, Center for Encouraging Dialogue and Tolerance, Čačak Serbia
U: U: The 8th Annual International Conference RELIGIOUS EDUCATION AND RELIGIOSITY OF YOUNG PEOPLE – BOOK OF ABSTRACTS
Ur: Goran Bašić, Forum for Religious Issues and Centre for Sociological and Anthropological Research of the Institute of Social Sciences, Belgrade in co-organization with Center for Empirical Research of Religion, Novi Sad 2023
Religious service in the Serbian Armed Forces is a way of enabling primarily the practice of religious customs, but also education regarding the basics of catechism, especially for younger members of the ArmedForces, soldiers, cadets, and non-commissioned officers. The introductionof religious service is regulated by special agreements between the Ministry of Defense and the Serbian Orthodox Church, as well as six traditional churches and religious communities – among which are fourChristian churches, and the Islamic and Jewish Community of Serbia. With the signing of these agreements and the first introduction of priests in units in 2013, members were enabled to exercise freedom of religion “according to their own will and conviction” during their service in theArmy. It is significant to participate in events in which, together with thepriests of the Serbian Orthodox Church, members of the Armed Forcesappear, so uniformed officers, soldiers, and cadets can be seen at processions, religious celebrations, and in ritual events under the auspices of the Church. Members of the armed forces have become an indispensable part of the decor of religious ceremonies where they often wear church props, while Church officials are regular guests at all important ceremoniesorganized by the Serbian Armed Forces. This increasing religious sensibility of the army is explained by the effort to restore the former tradition and strengthen the morale of officers and soldiers. But in thisway, the Armed Forces and the Church, as the most trusted institutionsin society, as is often pointed out in public opinion surveys, join forces inspreading religious education among the people.
Key words: Serbian Armed Forces, youth, catechism, religious freedom, renewal of tradition
PRILOG
RELIGIOUS EDUCATION AND RELIGIOSITY OF YOUNG PEOPLE – BOOK OF ABSTRACTS