SOCIOLOGICAL ANALYSIS OF THE RELIGIOUS SITUATION IN THE MACEDONIAN POST-COMMUNIST SOCIETY

SOCIOLOGICAL ANALYSIS OF THE RELIGIOUS SITUATION IN THE MACEDONIAN POST-COMMUNIST SOCIETY

Zoran Matevski

It's up to historical and sociological analysis to show and to prove how from time to time in all societies comes to crisis and revival of religion. But, returning of religion doesn't mean necessarily returning of the church. Revival of religion follows after deep societal crisis. In that time usually comes to revival of national feelings and interests, which is understandable, as we know that religious and national are interlace. If in time of crisis it comes to revival of religiosity than it can be expected and revival of religion ideology. The believers doesn't adjust their behavior to norms of faith, but norms of faith are adjusting to their needs and interests. (Hamilton, 2003)

Humans use more mechanisms through which they try to find and keep their identity. Certainly, religion and nation are two powerful forms for belonging and identifying. According to number of sociologists for creating one nation very important is common and long lasting life of different ethnic communities on same geographic place. But, this fact does not have sentence role for weakening or loosing of national interests and feelings. Besides long, mutual experience, usually national specifics are kept in certain ethnic communities.

According to it, nation doesn’t live only from memories about its past, but also from its determination about future that collects the will of all its members and make it more unified. Conscience for their common past usually is completed with the desire for common future. Past can not be changed, but can be learnt. Future can not be learnt, but can be changed. Therefore when determining ethnic identity we must take into consideration volunteer act of mutual life that is based on historical and social conditions.

Sixteen years ago, after communism crash Macedonians had finally remembered that they have different ethnic characteristics

Certainly, national sense of identity is followed by religious sense of identity. The religion is classic saint “love all of the other nations as you love your own”. Number of sociologists of religion emphasize that in fact nation is act of faith and believing. Through faith persons understand better characteristics of its own nation. Therefore in Balkan region, as a rule, representatives of one nation follow one faith (almost with no exception each Serbian is orthodox such as every Croatian is Catholic). But, there are cases when representatives of different ethnic communities follow same faith. For example: Macedonians, Serbs, Bulgarians, Russians have same faith, even they belong to different nations. Also, it happens more then one faith to be present in the frames of one nation (for eg.. most of the Macedonians are Orthodox, but still there are Macedonians who are Muslims). On Balkan Peninsula very typical is the situation with Albanians who have three faiths: Islam, Orthodox and Catholic. All of this tell us that nation and religion should not be identified. Therefore we’ll make sharp division between religion and nation, since faith is one and only, while there are more nations. In the world there are orthodox believers Macedonians, Russians, Arabic, Serbians what means that faith is up-national i.e universal.

Even religion and nation are two powerful forms of belonging and identifying: in order to strengthen national feeling, religious one has to be weakened. On the question “Who are you?” none would answer I’m Orthodox, Catholic, Muslim or Protestant. Almost everybody would answer “I’m Macedonian, Serbian, Bulgarian, Albanian”. It leads us to the fact that during last several centuries situation has been changed in its root. But, basic characteristic of modern time is the following rather paradox act. 15 years ago when religion came back in social and every-day life, everybody expected that people would find themselves as subjects of their own faith. But, opposite had happened: necessity for belonging and identifying with the nation appeared to be much stronger then religious identification and participation. (Susnjic Duro, 1998)

Appearance of so strong emotions, conscience and interests can be so expressed only if religious feeling is weakened. That is what is happening in the last 15 years in Macedonia; even influence on its basic religious institutions (Macedonian Orthodox Church). In the past, main role in the history of Macedonian nation was done by Orthodox religion. It kept and secured Macedonian identity in the most difficult moments. It seems that that in 1991 it was forgotten and suddenly everybody in Macedonia were proud of being subject of Macedonian ethnic community. In that moment Macedonian state as a world institution took the leading role from MOC, as a saint institution.

Therefore in Republic of Macedonia happened something that for somebody has been expected, while for the others was completely unexpected. In the period of early development of political pluralism, in the frames of this “young” country most of the political subjects disagreed about state’s main issues. Milosavlevski Slavko, 1997) Politic parties from right, left and central block always had different attitudes about constitutional, politic, economic, social and cultural issues. Than, that’s what happened: in the conflict with SOC all state’s politic subjects stand on MOC side. For the first time in the state appeared national unification for which many think is impossible. Macedonian national unity that has been under question many times, come on the surface for this religious issue. Even some politic parties that were considered to be Serbian-orientated (socialist parties) defended the name and autonomy of their religious institution.

In that way, as well as in the rest of the modern societies, government was considered to be saint. Today saint in visible or invisible manner is part of the government. As much as state authorities are close to the religion and its institutions that much it’s successful in its reigning. State authority is not self-selected in politics battle but is blessed by the church majesty. It is double based: in policy the historical and practical acting and also in God’s mind. Saint and world are perfect harmony and any attack on the worldly would also mean attack on the saintly. (Stanovcic Petar, 1998) In order to understand this better it would be interesting to mention certain characteristics of cultural specifics of Balkan area. From historical point of view Balkan area, on which later on independent countries were created, even in present days is burdened with authoritative politic culture. It gives mark to all politics and religious events and relations (maybe because of the strong and long-lasting domination of imperia, like Othman one). After communism crash people from this are started living in time and circumstances that were in collision with authoritarian political culture, from one side, and democratic political culture, on the other side. Result of this epoch collision would influence a lot on how religious and ethnic conflicts would be realized. Pointing at parallel existence of elements of authoritarian and democratic political culture is extremely important for the genesis of these conflicts. Territory of ex-Yugoslav republics in ethnic, religious and cultural sense is pretty heterogeneous. (Cebic Petar, 1998) In this pallet religious element should be appreciated since it is deeply in the root of the tradition and divides people into different groups. More precisely, traditions of all of the three ex-Yugoslav religions in which also orthodoxy belongs, also possess elements of authoritarian acting. All of that influence the whole society.

Now something about religious tolerance. Before we start explicating the relation between national interests and inter-religious tolerance in Republic of Macedonia we’ll review religious tolerance in theory and practice in Christianity and Islam, as two leading religious organizations in Republic of Macedonia.

Speaking about Christianity we’ll pay most attention to Orthodox Christianity and its views towards religious tolerance, simply because this religious community is the one that is mostly present in Republic of Macedonia.

Such as great number of religious organizations, Macedonian Orthodox Church considers its religious truth as correct one, while others are incorrect, based on lies, which create distorted picture of the basic religious events in the past, present and future.

Anyway dogmatic positions or Orthodoxy are clear. There is only one truth. Everything else is turning aside from the real path. On this point the following question appears: “to what level each of Orthodox churches keeps on dogmatic truths that are basically accepted?”. It depends a lot on the social constellation in which this church exists and functions. It is considered that, compared to other religious communities, Macedonian Orthodox Church is the most tolerant one. Macedonian Orthodox Church considers its teachings obligatory only for its members, but not for the rest of the members of the social community who belong to another religion. Without doubt, Macedonian Orthodox Church is one of the most tolerant religious organizations in the world of orthodoxy.

Conscious of its existing in multi-ethic community, Macedonian Orthodox Church has always shown certain level of practical tolerance. But, the fact that Macedonian Orthodox Church is established as national church (church of the Macedonian nation) and it exists in that way in its national frames is doubtless. Somehow it limits its tolerance, but we can not say that Macedonian Orthodox Church doesn’t show evident manifestations of practical religious tolerance. It practiced tolerance as much as it was needed, suited to the time and space in which it functioned. In certain historical moments this religious organization intended and tried to be distanced from other religious organizations, especially when its national interests are in question. In some periods its attitude towards Greek, Bulgarian and Serbian Orthodox Church was more unfriendly than its attitude towards Islamic national organization. The reason was simply because these three neighbouring churches denied its autonomy, and even more its national prefix (Macedonian). If in certain periods Islamic religious community didn’t “disturb” its national root than Macedonian Orthodox Church would have been pretty tolerant towards this community. On the other hand, in certain period, Macedonian Orthodox Church showed great dose of non-tolerance towards its sister-churches. Good evidence for this are latest events – efforts for creating a kind of self-announced Ohrid Archiepiscopy, under direct jurisdiction and hierarchically determined by Serbian Orthodox Church. This intention destroyed relations between Macedonian Orthodox Church, on one side and Serbian and Greek Orthodox Churches, on the other side, so much that their mutual tolerance is on the lowest level. Reason for this situation is the fact that Serbian Orthodox Church and Greek Orthodox Church do not recognize the national roots of Macedonian Orthodox Church. Therefore, very often Macedonian Orthodox Church involves in its own religious-national frames. It’s characteristic that Macedonian Orthodox Church always have had sense for recognizing and tolerance towards other religious organizations which didn’t put in question its national interests. Typical example for this is its particularly tolerant attitude towards Catholic Church in Macedonia and Vatican. Why? The answer is pretty simple. Vatican official policy have never put in question national (Macedonian) roots of Macedonian Orthodox Church.

Now we'll start explaining the observation and practical functioning of Islamic religious community in Republic of Macedonia, regarding issue of religious tolerance. Basically, its theoretical - dogmatic tolerance doesn't differ from the one of Orthodox Christianity. But, since Islam, generally, gives greater possibility for applying tolerance, still there are differences between them.

But, neither Islamic religious community in Republic of Macedonia nor Macedonian Orthodox Church allows woman to marry man who belongs to different religion. This attitude is caused by the social subordination of the woman, especially in villages.

Out of theoretical-dogmatic postulates that were previously mentioned explain the practical functioning of Islamic religious community in Republic of Macedonia towards other religious communities and especially towards Macedonian Orthodox Church. Because of its close connection with Albanian politic parties (no matter whether they participate in the government or not) the identifying of moral Islamic principles (in the face of Islamic religious community) and politics ideology ( in the face of DUI, DPA, PDP etc) become more emphasized. Because of this direct connection with political elite, sometimes occur smaller or bigger oscillations on the part of tolerance towards Orthodox Christians. That’s because, according to Islam all activities taken in order to make the influence Albanian politics parties stronger, are excused. That's the reason why the tolerance of Islamic religious community varies, depending on the social atmosphere in Macedonian society.

Even Islam is theoretically pretty tolerant, in our country it is closed and limited to itself, especially in less culturally and industrially developed areas, where it's specially conservative. Therefore most of the time Islamic religious community in Macedonia was on certain distance from Orthodox Christians.

However, leadership of Islamic religious community in Macedonia invests efforts to modernize its own religious organization. It tries to make it more open towards its Islam believers, as well as towards Orthodox Christians and other people who practice another religion. Trying to do this it faces certain difficulties. Among the rest is also the difficulty that comes from the reserved attitude of Macedonian Orthodox Church towards Islamic religious community. On this point most important characteristic is the oscillation in certain time and space dimension. It proves the fact that Islamic religious community as well as Macedonian Orthodox Church practices religious tolerance as much as it is necessary in that moment. That means that here we have dosed tolerance in time and space. Neither Islamic religious community, nor Macedonian Orthodox Church have gone more far than this. As a reason for this, both religious communities usually mention the possibility of causing anger in certain number of believers.

Now, we can discuss about the question: are national interests stronger then ecumenical consciousness? If we want to answer this question we should find some kind of balance between the views that Macedonia is flowery garden in which peace and good will of people from different religions reign and next view that in our country reins the law of opposite and sometimes sharpened relations.

In that direction we can talk something about the role of religion during the conflict in Republic of Macedonia in year 2001. Great damage for the future and democratization of Republic of Macedonia is the armed conflict that happened in Republic of Macedonia in year 2001. It’s fact that political authorities are not ready and brave enough to analyze deeply the reasons, motives for the conflict. It has to be done by the science authorities. That’s the attempt of these analyses. Here , I’ll elaborate only one, but very significant dimension of this conflict, and it’s the answer of the question: Whether, how much and how religious feelings of the citizens, belonging to Christian and Islam religion were violated. On the other hand, for the relation between the religions it is characteristic that they have never come mutually closer through modification and accommodating its dogma. So, instead of theoretical tolerance, only practical tolerance exists and it means concrete acting of the religious institutions and its perfection in certain social-political conditions.

On this point, Macedonian Orthodox Church, as institution with Orthodox believers has always shown practical tolerance, but of limited level, because remained firmly in its national frames. Differently from the Orthodoxy, where there’s strong link between the church and nation, in Islam there is high level of connection between the faith and political power. This analyses searches for answer on the question whether this two, most important religious institutions in Republic of Macedonia (Macedonian Orthodox Church and Islam Religious Community) “didn’t say aloud” (or even supported) manipulation with religious feelings or in the frames of religious tolerance actively participated in solving the conflict in year 2001.

Basically, Macedonia is country that carries the burden of its past and history. That’s the destiny of small countries which want to be big, at least in the history. In there two heavenly kingdoms meet and mix: Christian and Muslims. Also it is place of crashing two big civilizations. Orthodox culture and Byzantium civilization, from one side, and Islamic culture and Muslims civilization, on the other side. Shall we expect conflict of the civilizations, on this piece of ground, or multiculturalism, multiethnic living and the treasure of the differences will reign in the future. Speaking about this we shouldn’t forget that Macedonia is a part of wider region (Western Balkan) which carries the burden of previously mentioned issues. Macedonia is an area of religious, cultural, ethnic, social and ideological difference and therefore it is not strange if misunderstandings, disputes and accidental conflicts are not only of religious character, but also from political ethnic, cultural, historical, ideological and psychological character.

In this direction, it’s interesting to search for answer on the question: whether Macedonian Orthodox Church and Islamic religious community calm down or sharpen ethnic conflicts and problems. Since they are separated from the state, it is clear that they can not carry the main guilt for inter-ethnic problems in Republic of Macedonia. State and political parties in it are guilty for this. However, we can answer this question if we make detail analyses of the statements, declared by religious leaders in the last ten to fifteen years. Analyzes would show that their speeches differ from the religious teachings about peace and about conflicts. Anyway, these religious organizations can’t be accused to be directly guilty for ethnic conflicts and problems, because they are not located on the main social road. They don’t have influence on public life and public opinion as much as state and politics elite which do it through the means for mass communication. If it depends on Macedonian Orthodox Church and Islamic religious community, there wouldn’t be ethnic conflicts in Republic of Macedonia. They are present because it’s not up to them. But, they are not completely free of responsibility. If they are not responsible for what they said, they are responsible for not saying what they had to say. It gives impression that religious organizations in Republic of Macedonia do not have enough power to speak in their own religious language, but in certain social-political moment speak in collective language of its environment, where ethnocentrism becomes ideology of modern time.

Therefore, the issue of involving religious education as optional subject in primary and secondary schools is actual again.

After the fall of communism and creation of new democratic relations within the newly formed societies, certain societal phenomena surfaced, which, in the previous period, were considered to be taboo. One of the most controversial issues considered was the question of religious education. Before the fall of communism, the religious education in Republic of Macedonia took place strictly in religious assemblies. The dogmas of Christianity were taught to children in churches, whereas with reference to Islamic religion, the education was disseminated in mosques.

No matter the past events, the period after the end of World War Two until the beginning of the nineties in the 20^th century witnessed full partition of the Church from the State with regards to education. It may be stated that the process of secularization in Macedonia followed its own set of laws and rules. What marks this period as relevant is the complete separation of the political with religious elite in the State. Except for rare formal meetings, on some occasion, almost no meetings between the political and religious leaders took place. They rarely consult each other on issues of vital national and state interests.

The fundamental changes on this issue happened after the proclamation of independence of the Republic of Macedonia in 1991 (Macedonia separates from the Yugoslav Federation and forms its own state). At that moment, the religion is welcomed back with great approval, and the people were in position to declare their own religious affiliation without fear of any retaliation from the former atheistic elite. The people started to congregate churches and mosques especially during the great Christian and Islamic religious holidays. Still, this did not present return to essential religious values but rather return to traditional religious customs. We could finally infer that, especially Orthodox believers, are traditional believers. The traditional religious and customary norms merged into one although encumbered with large number of pagan practices, characteristic for the Christian world.

What happened was expected for some, whereas for others totally unanticipated: the rush of nationalistic emotions stood for surge of religious feelings. The Macedonian nation united in Orthodox identity. The religion and nation represent two powerful forms of belonging and association. Once again we saw confirmation of the fact that although religion and nation do not have any logical connection, they do make an unbreakable psychological link and a secret alliance. Since then until present days, the process of approximation of the political and religious elite in Republic of Macedonia, turning into a well-built link, has started. The process of secularization has since fallen into serious crisis. This fact, however, is not associated solely to Macedonia, but it is a ubiquitous event. The religious and political prominent figures have begun, even more, to consult each other on issues assessed as high national interests.

Yet, the essential relations of these two types of elites were established during the period 1998-2002. At the foreground of the political hierarchy then was the right nationalist oriented coalition VMRO-DPA. Among other thing, during this reign, the issue of establishment of religious education in state schools was raised. At that moment, Macedonian Orthodox Church contemplated the following question: which “card” to choose in order to convince the Macedonian public of the importance of religious education. The solution was simple. The winning card was and still is the ethical function of religion.

The Ministry of Education and Science of Republic of Macedonia, having decided to be the right moment for it, reached a Decision to introduce the religious education in elementary schools in 1999. However, due to organizational error, the religious education lasted only briefly and it was terminated by the Constitutional Court’s decision in 2000.

During that period it seemed that this issue is closed, however, it continued to be raised by many. In the meantime, we witnessed a change of the political constellation and in power came the left-oriented parties SDSM and DUI in 2002. At first glance, it seems that this Social-Democratic Alliance, which was “a pro pos” against introduction of religious education, would put an end to this question for a longer period. However, the predictions failed to realize. What happened was an unexpected outcome. It all started with the dispute between the Serbian Orthodox Church (SOC) and Macedonian Orthodox Church (MOC) in 2004.

Occurred: for the first time since the independence an entire political consensus on this issue was reached. Then, the cross and sword united in unbreakable unity. The Church proclaimed an anathema on Bishop Jovan and excommunicated him from MOC. The State brought down his, unlawfully built, religious facilities and took him to court. The result was clear-recurrent and for many unbelievable reunion of the religion and politics in Macedonia. Finally, the official meeting between the President of the State (Mr. Branko Crvenkovski) and Arch-Episcope, Ohrid and Macedonian Reverend Reverend Stefan, took place. At the meeting, final agreement on close cooperation between the Church and State is reached. Of course, the Church has two requests: introduction of religious learning in state schools and denationalization of Church estate. For the previous, MOC is supported by the officials from the Islamic Religious Community (IRC) in Macedonia.

Thus, the dilemma whether or not there will be religious education in educational system has been removed. The answer was concise and clear: Certainly! The only and key issue put in front of the scientific and intellectual public was the following: What form should religious education have?

However, education in the frames of highest values and moral norms is not enough. If we take as a sample the moral rule ”Love your neighbour as yourself”, we can say that this principle worth only if it suits humans’ practical activity. If it is opposite of human practical experience, that moral principle doesn’t worth. Inside human being doesn’t live only God, but also Satan. Therefore each person has its dark and bright side. Therefore, history of Orthodox Christianity and Islam in Macedonia do not have only bright sides, but also, at least, moments of crises.

It is difficult to predict how the relations, about we discussed in this text, will develop. That’s why the title of my paper has interrogative character. Of course, in case certain practical researches are done in the frames of this project, most of the questions from this text would be answered. Certainly, aspects of religion in Republic of Macedonia have special properties which differ from ones, present in the countries that surrounds us. Of course, there are also similarities. Answers on this issues will be given by the future researches.

Влиянието на религиозната принадлежност върху социалните дистанции на българи към други етноси

Станислава Йорданова Стоянова

Спори се дали религията, изповядвана от членовете на даден етнос е неделима част от тяхната етническа идентификация. Съществуват случаи, когато в един етнос присъстват различни религии, но дори при вътрешен антагонизъм, етносът се съхранява. При етнос, който изповядва само една религия груповите връзки са най-силни (Фотев, 1994).

Почти всички етнически групи предпочитат контакт с членовете на своята група, отколкото с други групи, което задоволява нуждата от сигурност (безопасност), от поддържащо (подкрепящо) социално обкръжение и от позитивна социална идентичност, произтичаща от оценяването на другите групи по-негативно, отколкото своята група (Hagendoorn, 1995: 201-202, 224). Предпочита се контакт с хора със същия език, религия и култура.

“Другият” етнос винаги е източник на междуетническо напрежение, тъй като то съществува при всяко различие. Колкото по-голямо е различието, а следователно и дистанцията между етносите, толкова по-голямо е напрежението (Фотев, 1994: 184-185).