Religious changes in Serbia: The return of Orthodoxy to the public stage?

Blagojević, Mirko and Ćumura, Ljiljana (2026) Religious changes in Serbia: The return of Orthodoxy to the public stage? Научный результат. Социология и управление (3). pp. 116-133. ISSN 2408-9338

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Abstract

The question of Orthodox revival in Serbian society is a current topic in the domestic academic community, particularly in the context of the social transformations of the late 20th century. Scholars disagree on the extent and nature of the renewal of religiosity in Serbia. This study focuses on distinguishing between two key concepts: the return of religion to Serbian public life as an institutional and cultural phenomenon, and the individual’s turn to religion and the Church as a personal spiritual practice. This distinction constitutes the central research problem of the study. The authors analyze data from numerous sociological studies and public opinion surveys & polls on religiosity, as well as a historical overview of the degree of public commitment to religion and the Church throughout the 20th century. Based on an analysis of empirical data on people’s relationship to Orthodoxy and the Church from the late 1980s and early 1990s to the present, the authors offer a comprehensive assessment (diagnosis) of the state of religiosity in contemporary Serbian society. Through a synthesis of findings from multiple studies, the authors identify both the achievements and the limitations of the Orthodox revival in Serbia, providing a balanced evaluation of this social phenomenon.

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