Sociology of Croatian society: Religion

1. Sociology of Croatian society:Religion Siniša Zrinščak May 21, 2018 sinisa.zrinscak@pravo.hr http://www.sinisazrinscak.com/

2. What is religion? • Substantive definitions – what religion is, common content of all religions? • “belief in spiritual beings” “in divine beings”, “supra empirical… P. Berger: human production of a sacred cosmos - concept of “sacred” • ...– what about practice, Eastern religions, new ways of spirituality...? • Need for broader definitions, problems of operationalization in different social and cultural contexts

3. Functional definitions – what religion does • M. Yinger: “a system of beliefs and practices by means of which a group of people struggles with the ultimate problems of human life” – functions: creating meaning, empowerment, courage, integration... • Not ethnocentric! But: how to differentiate from other phenomenon with same / similar consequences...?

4. Durkheim: “a unified system of beliefs and practices relative to sacred things, that is to say, things set apart and forbidden – beliefs and practices which unite into one singles moral community called a Church, all those who adhere to them” • “sacred” + “integration” • Definition – just and academic issue? Definition and Church-state relations – which religion should have access to public / state / schools, hospitals…

5. Confessional belongings, Censuses %

6. Communist period • Very hostile attitudes – particularly in late 1940s and 1950s (a story of cardinal Stepinac…) • Second period – partial normalization from mid 1960s • Public vs. private level – strong religious presence in private life+ secularization in late 1960s, 1970s + crisis of the communist system and revitalization in late 1980s • Social circumstances: multi-national + multi-religious Yugoslavia / ethnic-religious links

7. Religiosity of youth, 1985/86, % (Vrcan)

8. Post-communist period • Entering of religion to public space • War, state- and nation-building – not religious war but religious involvement; changes of the ethnic structure – Croats, Serbs… • Church-state relations in new circumstances • Constitution – religious rights; separation of Church and state; equality of religions against law; public, social, educational activities of Churches with the protection and help of the state

9. = cooperationist model based on hierarchy of different religions – how to compromise equality with empirical difference? • Religion in public schools as an optional subject, but confessional nature, 1991 • 4 agreements with the Holy See, 1996 and 1998 • Other religions – Law only in 2002 – two important differences:

10. (1) simple registration for old / existing + stricter for new: a) 5 years existence as NGO; b) at least 500 believers • (2) Religious communities with and without agreement with the state • Different treatment – exception or rule from the European perspective? • ECHR – lawsuit against Croatia – the Protestant Reformed Christian Church, the Full Gospel Church, the Word of Life Church

11. The ruling in favor of these communities in December 2010 – the Government has the right to set the criteria but they have to be clear, reasonable, well-argued – and applied equally to all! • Implementation of ruling only in August 2014 – no public debates, concerns about this issue

12. Religion in empirical research • Dimensions: • - belief • - experience (“subjective religiosity”) • - practice, confessional identification (+ public role) • - knowledge • -consequential dimension • .... What to study and how?

13. EVS- VWS data

14. EVS - Croatia, 2017/2018

15. 1999,2008, 2017/2018

16. Religion, politics, social expectations : • Ančić, B., Zrinščak, S. (2012) Religion in Central European Societies: Its Social Roles and People's Expectations. Religion and Society in Central and Eastern Europe 5(1):21-38

17. Ranking of the countries according to religiosity

18. Believing that Catholic Church can respond to the… yes, %

19. Appropriateness of big Christian Churches to deal with… yes, %

20. For strengthening democracy it is important to assure that churches would have a role to play

21. Influence of religious leaders on people’s voice and government (only answers (strongly) agree) %

22. There is a place for the public role of religion+ engagement in various social issues + opposition • Approval do not match perfectly the general level of religiosity • Strong opposition to political involvement (CRO + SLO!) • CZ – place for church-owned institutions