Religions in South-Eastern Europe: The Historico-Anthropological Approach

The article approaches religious phenomena in South-Eastern Europe in a historico-anthropological manner. With the aid of historical comparison, the author tries to throw light on the religious phenomena of South-Eastern Europe and to present them in a lucid review. A significant place in this proce...

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Main Author: Michael Mitterauer
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Institute for Migration and Ethnic Studies 2008-06-01
Series:Migracijske i etničke teme
Subjects:
Online Access:http://hrcak.srce.hr/file/41553
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author Michael Mitterauer
author_facet Michael Mitterauer
author_sort Michael Mitterauer
collection DOAJ
description The article approaches religious phenomena in South-Eastern Europe in a historico-anthropological manner. With the aid of historical comparison, the author tries to throw light on the religious phenomena of South-Eastern Europe and to present them in a lucid review. A significant place in this process is given to historical sociology as a discipline which, among other, also deals with the religious conditioning of social processes. The text consists of two parts. In the first, the author deals with the question of the religious particularity of South-Eastern Europe and considers it from several viewpoints. The author regards the most important features of the religious situation in that part of Europe as being particularism, archaicism and syncretism. He analyses the historical conditioning of the viability of the three monotheistic world religions in the region, their influence on the social development of South-Eastern Europe, the stance of the authorities towards religious communities and the existence of diverse traditions within individual religious cultures. Along with analysis of the presence of ancient elements and the continuity of pre-Christian rituals and beliefs, the author also stresses the strong syncretism marking the religious traditions of South-Eastern Europe. In the second part of the text the author compares religious phenomena in South-Eastern Europe and analyses regional religious traditions. He presents from the historico-anthropological aspect the religious rituals, the bearers of rituals, the place and time of rituals and the ritual languages of each of the world religions represented in the region. Emphasising the continuity of religious life and religious traditions in South-Eastern Europe, the author ends with the period of Communist rule in the second half of the 20th century, and deliberation that Communism, too, with its atheist doctrine in the secular form of cult, in fact carried on from religious tradition.
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spelling doaj.art-64c4b802dc2a49beb91e42defdf2a9a52024-03-02T17:04:07ZengInstitute for Migration and Ethnic StudiesMigracijske i etničke teme1333-25461848-91842008-06-01241-2730Religions in South-Eastern Europe: The Historico-Anthropological ApproachMichael Mitterauer0Institute for Economic and Social History, Vienna, AustriaThe article approaches religious phenomena in South-Eastern Europe in a historico-anthropological manner. With the aid of historical comparison, the author tries to throw light on the religious phenomena of South-Eastern Europe and to present them in a lucid review. A significant place in this process is given to historical sociology as a discipline which, among other, also deals with the religious conditioning of social processes. The text consists of two parts. In the first, the author deals with the question of the religious particularity of South-Eastern Europe and considers it from several viewpoints. The author regards the most important features of the religious situation in that part of Europe as being particularism, archaicism and syncretism. He analyses the historical conditioning of the viability of the three monotheistic world religions in the region, their influence on the social development of South-Eastern Europe, the stance of the authorities towards religious communities and the existence of diverse traditions within individual religious cultures. Along with analysis of the presence of ancient elements and the continuity of pre-Christian rituals and beliefs, the author also stresses the strong syncretism marking the religious traditions of South-Eastern Europe. In the second part of the text the author compares religious phenomena in South-Eastern Europe and analyses regional religious traditions. He presents from the historico-anthropological aspect the religious rituals, the bearers of rituals, the place and time of rituals and the ritual languages of each of the world religions represented in the region. Emphasising the continuity of religious life and religious traditions in South-Eastern Europe, the author ends with the period of Communist rule in the second half of the 20th century, and deliberation that Communism, too, with its atheist doctrine in the secular form of cult, in fact carried on from religious tradition.http://hrcak.srce.hr/file/41553religionconfessionSouth-Eastern EuropeChristianityJudaismIslam
spellingShingle Michael Mitterauer
Religions in South-Eastern Europe: The Historico-Anthropological Approach
Migracijske i etničke teme
religion
confession
South-Eastern Europe
Christianity
Judaism
Islam
title Religions in South-Eastern Europe: The Historico-Anthropological Approach
title_full Religions in South-Eastern Europe: The Historico-Anthropological Approach
title_fullStr Religions in South-Eastern Europe: The Historico-Anthropological Approach
title_full_unstemmed Religions in South-Eastern Europe: The Historico-Anthropological Approach
title_short Religions in South-Eastern Europe: The Historico-Anthropological Approach
title_sort religions in south eastern europe the historico anthropological approach
topic religion
confession
South-Eastern Europe
Christianity
Judaism
Islam
url http://hrcak.srce.hr/file/41553
work_keys_str_mv AT michaelmitterauer religionsinsoutheasterneuropethehistoricoanthropologicalapproach