The Influence of Religion on the Creation of National Identity in Serbia

Abstract

This paper analyzes new religious values on the territory of Serbia and the creation of cultural-national model. During the nineties in Serbia the return to religion had been most popular. National homogenization due to the dissolution of the old state and creation of individual states with specific national characteristics was awakening. This phenomenon was caused by the need to establish some new and revive old values in the domain of culture, tradition and religion. Serbian Orthodox Church intimacy retreats before the rush of false believers who shift the stage of public squares into church and monasteries. Radical nationalism created a specific form of symbols and behavior. The identity of the entire nation is reduced to the dimension which equals national and religious affiliations. In this way, a desire to keep cultural, national and religious specificity turns into the fear of the deadly disease of Western culture. The paper analyzes the data of the research conducted on: the public expression of citizens’ religious affiliation, the influence of religion on the creation of national identity, the instrumentalization of religion by politicians and the use and misuse of religious symbols. In addition thanks to the research we can determine the effect of creating resistance or acceptance new values that are a necessary condition for positive change and joining the European Union. In addition, the impact of politics on the creation of national identity through the Orthodox religion, which creates a new form of ideology, can be determined.

Keywords

• national identity
• religion
• post-communism
• Serbia
• Europe