RELIGION IN CONTEMPORARY SOCIETY International scientific meeting almanac

364 Pages·2017·3.3 MB·English

RELIGION IN CONTEMPORARY SOCIETY
International scientific meeting almanac
RELIGION IN CONTEMPORARY SOCIETY
(Thematic conference proceedings of international significance held
in Srebrno jezero (Veliko Gradiste), May 19 and 20 of 2017)
INTERNATIONAL SCIENTIFIC CONFERENCE ORGANIZED BY:
FOREL – Institute of Social Sciences, Belgrade
Centre for sociological and antropological research,
Institut of Social Sciences, Belgrade
EDITORS:
Dr Mirko Blagojevic
Dr Zlatko Matic
INTERNATIONAL SCIENTIFIC PROGRAMME COMMITTEE:
Dr Sergey Lebedev, Belgorod National University,
Belgorod, (Russian Federation)
Dr Nonka Bogomilova, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, Sofia (Bulgaria)
Dr Mihaj Radan, Univerzrity of Timisoara (Romania)
Dr Ivan Cvitkovic, Academy of Sciences of Bosnia and Hercegovina (BiH)
Dr Olga Smolina, Severodonetsk National University (Ukraina)
Dr Vladimir Bakrac, Faculty of Philosophy of Niksic (Montenegro)
Dr Mirko Blagojevic, Institute of Social Sciences, Belgrade (Serbia)
Dr Goran Basic, Institute of Social Sciences, Belgrade (Serbia)
Dr Lilijana Cickaric, Institute of Social Sciences, Belgrade (Serbia)
REVIEWERS:
Dr Paul Mojzes, Rosemont college, Pennsylvania, USA
Dr Ksenija Trofimov, Institute for Philosophy of
the Russian Academy of Sciences
PUBLISHER:
Institute of Social Sciences, Belgrade
Department of Education and Culture,
Serbian Orthodox Diocese of Branicevo, Pozarevac
PUBLISHER IN-CHIEF:
Dr Goran Basic, Institute of Social Sciences, Belgrade
Dr Zlatko Matic, Faculty of Orthodox Theology,
University of Belgrade, Belgrade
ISBN 978-86-7093-198-5
RELIGION IN CONTEMPORARY SOCIETY
(Религия в современном обществе)
International scientific meeting almanac
Belgrade, 2017.

CONTENT
Ruzhica Cacanoska
CHANGES IN THE RELIGIOUS LIFE OF THE RELIGIOUS
COLLECTIVITIES IN THE REPUBLIC OF MACEDONIA
THROUGH THE PRISM OF THEIR LEADERSHIP .......................................7
Emil Hilton Saggau
THE SELF-PROCLAIMED MONTENEGRIN ORTHODOx
CHURCH – A PAPER TIGER OR A RESURGENT CHURCH?..................31
Vladimir Bakrač, Miomirka Lučić
COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF GENDER AND RELIGIOSITY –
THE DYNAMICS OF CHANGES .....................................................................55
Nada Novaković
DESECULARITZATION, NATIONAL STATE AND THE RISE OF
RIGHT OF POLITICAL MOVEMENT ............................................................69
Marijana Maksimović
HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT AND RELIGIONS IN JAPAN ...85
Danijela Gavrilović
RELIGION IN THE TRANSITIONAL Ex-YUGOSLAV COUNTRIES .....99
Suzana Ignjatović, Emilija Mijić
NEw REPRODUCTIVE TECHNOLOGIES AND RELIGION IN
SERBIA AND CROATIA ...................................................................................115
Vesna S. Trifunović
RELIGION AND CULTURE TODAY: BETwEEN THE
DESTRUCTION OF THE CHRISTIAN CULTURE AND THE
REVIEw OF MODERN CULTURE ................................................................133
Ivica Todorović
ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF SPIRITUAL-RELIGIOUS
CORRELATION – IN THE CONTExT OF THE GENERAL
REVIEw OF THE SERBIAN-RUSSIAN RELATIONS IN THE
CURRENT SOCIAL MOMENT AND THE PAST.......................................149
Nada Novaković, Dragana Radisavljević Ćiparizović
RELIGION, MIGRANTS AND SOCIAL CONFLICTS IN EUROPE .......171
Zoran Gudović
RELIGION AND SECULARISM BETwEEN PAST AND PRESENT ......197
Nataša Jovanović, Vladimir Mentus
CLASSICAL ROOTS OF CONTEMPORARY UNDERSTANDING
OF ISLAM AS RELIGION OF wARRIORS – THE IMPLICATIONS
OF wEBER’S INTERPRETATION OF ISLAMIC DOGMA ......................213
Nonka Bogomilova
THE SOCIOLOGY OF RELIGION FROM THE SECOND HALF OF
20TH CENTURY: A wESTERN PERSPECTIVE ............................................229
Yuri Stoyanov
RELIGION, CHURCH & THE ISSUE OF SACRALITY AND HOLY
PLACES IN MODERN THEOPOLITICS .......................................................241
Златко Матич
ПРАВОСЛАВНАЯ ЦЕРКОВЬ ПЕРЕД ДУХОВНЫМИ
ВЫЗОВАМИ СОВРЕМЕННОГО МИРА .....................................................255
Сергей Лебедев, Мирко Благоевич
ПРОПРАВОСЛАВНЫЕ И КОНТРПРАВОСЛАВНЫЕ
СОЦИАЛЬНЫЕ НАСТРОЕНИЯ В РОССИИ НА ВОЛНЕ
РЕВИТАЛИЗАЦИИ РЕЛИГИИ .....................................................................271
Инна Шаповалова
ОТНОШЕНИЕ РОССИЙСКОЙ МОЛОДЕЖИ К
РЕЛИГИОЗНОМУ ЭКСТРЕМИЗМУ ...........................................................285
Лариса Шмигирилова
ТЕХНОКРАТИчЕСКАЯ РЕЛИГИЯ: чТО ЗА ВЫбОРОМ? ...................301
Сергей Трофимов
ГИПЕРРЕАЛЬНЫЕ РЕЛИГИИ ПО А.ПОССАМАЮ ..............................317
Ольга Смолина
КУЛЬТУРА ПРАВОСЛАВНОГО МОНАШЕСТВА В
СОВРЕМЕННОМ СОЦИОКУЛЬТУРНОМ КОНТЕКСТЕ .....................333
Татьяна Покровская
ПРАВОСЛАВНАЯ ВЕРА И РЕЛИГИОЗНОСТЬ КРЕСТЬЯНСТВА
В СёЛАХ КОРОчАНСКОГО РАЙОНА КУРСКОЙ ОбЛАСТИ В
КОНЦЕ 20 – НАчАЛЕ 30 ГГ. xx ВЕКА. ......................................................349
Ruzhica Cacanoska
Institute for Sociological, Political and Juridical Research
Ss. Cyril and Methodius University in Skopje
Republic of Macedonia
CHANGES IN THE RELIGIOUS LIFE OF
THE RELIGIOUS COLLECTIVITIES IN THE
REPUBLIC OF MACEDONIA THROUGH
THE PRISM OF THEIR LEADERSHIP
Abstract: Religion as a societal phenomenon, although founded on a set of
dogmas, which seemingly refers to apparent “staticity”, its significant part is
subject to a constant change. The well-known sociologist Norbert Elias speaks
about the natural changeability of the human as a social constant. In that con-
text, the atomized comprehension of the very religious community indicates
a constant of changeable individuals. Focusing on the determinant of “soci-
etal alterations with long-term and relatively important consequences (Abu-
Lughod, 2000)”, refers to the dynamicity of the religious life that is conditioned
by both the internal state of affairs within the religious communities and the
influences exerted by the closer and wider surroundings.
This paper would analyze the change of the religious life of the communities
on empirical basis which is provided through interviews with the leadership of
the religious communities, as well as with a part of the intellectual elite thereof.
By using cross-sectional research design and qualitative strategy (e-interviews)
the key points of the change of the religious life in the Macedonian religious
collectivities would be addressed.
Key words: change, religious collectivity, public religion, leadership, cross-sec-
tional research design, e-interviews.
Introduction
Things do not change, we change.
Henry David Thoreau
Social change in the sociology is infallible part of the curriculum in gen-
eral sociology. The dynamics of the social life reflected through the sepa-
rate study of the changes points to the complexity, significance and specifics
of the very concept. However, when it is about linkage between the social
change and the religion, theorist have divided opinions. On one hand, it is
8 Religion in Contemporary Society
discussed about the religion and religious organization structures which
tend to keep or, simply preserve the states as these are. On other hand, the
other course of theorists is crystallized who consider the religion to sup-
port and give its important contribution to the social life or change of the
social states.
Significant part of the modern sociological thought regarding the chang-
es and the religion tend to occupy the space between these two opposing
opinions given above in ideal-type format. However, when linking the so-
cial change and the religion it is unavoidable to take into account the spe-
cifics of the social constellation, characteristics of each individual culture
with regard to the religion, as well as the specific characteristics related to
the very religion and the manner of its adaptation and existence.
Changes happen at macro level, mezzo level as well as micro level. This
paper is intended first of all to analyze the changes within one institution
or religious collectivity which can have from hundreds of believers or fol-
lowers to a minor number. However, the changes in the collectivity are dis-
cussed through the prism or from the perspective of the religious leadership.
In addition, the leadership includes believers who hold either high (first of
all, managerial) positions within the religious collectivity or believers who
belong to the intellectual elite of the very collectivity (such as faculty pro-
fessors, coaches at seminars, assistants or persons in charge of education
in the very religious collectivities). This approach was adopted in order to
place my focus on their perception or self-perception of the changes and
the way or possibilities to control them, that is, to introduce them, to guide
them and to direct them.
1. Theoretical background
Progress is impossible without change, and those who can-
not change their minds cannot change anything.
George Bernard Shaw
The concept of change in the sociological science is present for a long time.
The functionalist and evolutionist theories in the sociology speak about his-
torical development of the society, pointing out that “every day in every way,
things get better and better”1. Herbert Spencer argues that the societies tran-
sit from phase of homogeneity to phase of heterogeneity. In addition, Emil
Durkheim elaborates the changeable character of the societies through the
famous syntagma for mechanical and organic solidarity. Unidimensional
theories оf social changes trace one way or direction through all societies
pass. However, multidimensional evolutionary theory, especially Lensky,
“gives a central role to technology, arguing that technological advances are
1 Shepard, J., Sociology, 2012, Cengage Advantage: Sociology, 11th Edition, page 540.
Ruzhica Cacanoska, “Changes in the religious life of the religious collectivities…” 9
significantly (through not wholly) responsible for other changes, such as al-
terations in religious preference, the nature of law, the form of government,
and relations between races and genders.”2
The conflict theory in the sociology assigns the key role to the economy, as
well. According to the conflict theory “the primary cause of social change is
economic conflict between social classes”, that is, “social change can correct
social injustices and inequalities”. Ralph Dahrendorf “sees conflict among
groups at all levels of society”3. The advocates of Modernization theory em-
phasize that “global development is a worldwide process including nearly all
societies affected by technological change.”4 In this context, the process of
homogenization would tend to changes which would be modeled accord-
ing to Western nations that had modernized first. Namely, the societies be-
come increasingly homogenous as a result of technical and technological
changes. However, it is fact that the western European countries and the
USA are not the only countries which guide the technological globalization.5
In sociology, the change is basically determined as “any significant al-
teration over time in behavior patterns and cultural values and norms“6. In
addition, it is underlined that by significant alteration, sociologists mean
changes yielding profound social consequences. That is, “the term social
change is used to indicate the changes that take place in human interac-
tions and interrelations. Society is a web of social relationships and hence
social change means change in the system of social relationships. These are
understood in terms of social processes and social interactions and social
organization.”7
The lucidity of the review of the pubic sociology of Michael Burawoy sig-
nificantly considers the role of the sociological science when studying the
historical changes.8 Giddens alleges that the recognition of the social changes
means that the degree of change in the basic structure of each phenomenon
or state of affairs in particular time period should be determined. The so-
ciological narration about religion as a complex social phenomenon inevi-
tably begins with the historical development of the religion, listing all of its
developing stadiums. Particular stadiums are characterized by faster and
2 Anderson, L.M., Taylor, F.H., Sociology, The Essentials, Seventh Edition, wad-
sworth Cengage Learning, Belmont, USA, 2013, page 402.
3 Shepard, J., Sociology, 2012, Cengage Advantage: Sociology, 11th Edition, page 545.
4 Anderson, L.M., Taylor, F.H., Sociology, The Essentials, Seventh Edition, wad-
sworth Cengage Learning, Belmont, USA, 2013, page 404.
5 McCords points out the important role of Japan, Taiwan, North Korea which they
have in the process of modernization.
6 https://www.cliffsnotes.com/study-guides/sociology/social-change-and-movements/
social-change-defined, Accessed on 12.03.2017.
7 http://www.sociologyguide.com/social-change/index.php, Accessed on 14.03.2017.
8 Burawoj, M., University of California – Berkeley, 2004, Presidential Address, For
Public Sociology, American Sociological Review, 2005, VOL. 70 (February: 4–28).
10 Religion in Contemporary Society
major changes, while changes in other stadiums can be slower or minor. In
that context, focusing on the determinant of “societal alterations with long-
term and relatively important consequences (Abu-Lughod, 2000)”, refers to
the dynamicity of the religious life that is conditioned by both the internal
state of affairs within the religious communities and the influences exert-
ed by the closer and wider surroundings9. For example, in the sociological
circles increasingly frequent is the syntagma about “the changeable nature
of the European religion”.10 However, we should not miss the fact that the
different phases of the development of religion and the different types of
religious organizations indicate the specifics which each religion acquires
in a particular social environment or context.
Piotr Sztompka indicates that “change is a fundamental property of
society”.11 Norbert Elias speaks about the natural changeability of the hu-
man as a social constant.12 In that context, the atomized comprehension of
the very religious community indicates a constant of changeable individu-
als. Piotr Sztompka separates various types of social change which can be
also applied in study of the changes in religion: “a change in composition;
a change in structure; a change of functions; a change of boundaries with
other fields and a change of environment”.13
During the study of the modern religious changes in Macedonian con-
text, we make certain cross-cut and we speak about the period before and
after this state has gained independence. Accordingly, each period has its
own specificities. Characteristic features of the religion in the period after
the independence or post-communism are the process of revitalization14,
which includes the revitalization and strengthening of the position of the
religious entities, first of all, the historically present, majority collectivities,
which process can be followed at a level of religious collectivity, on one side,
and at individual level, through the religious convictions and individual
practice. Deprivatization of the religion, that is, penetration of the religion
9 Shepard, J., Sociology, 2012, Cengage Advantage: Sociology, 11th Edition, page 530.
10 Davie, G., Religion in Modern Europe, A Memory mutates, Oxford University Press,
2001. The very concept of mutation inserted in the title of the book emphasizes the
adaptability of the religion to the changes which happen in different societies.
11 Sztompka, P., Change and Development, in the book SOCIOLOGY – The Key Con-
cepts, by John Scot, Routledge Taylor and Francis Group, London and New York,
page 20.
12 Elias, N., Sto je sociologija, Antibarbarus, Zagreb, 2007, 85–91.
13 Ibid. page 21.
14 In the constitutive act of the Republic of Macedonia, the churches, religious com-
munities and religious groups are part of non-profit sector. They have possibility to
establish religious schools, as well as to act in the sphere of the social policy through
initiating social and charitable institutions. The Constitution cites the Macedonian
Orthodox Church, Islamic Religious Community in Macedonia, Catholic Church,
the United Methodist Church and the Jewish Community.