THE ROLE OF RELIGION IN EUROPEAN INTEGRATIONS THE CASE OF SERBIA

Transcription

1 THE ROLE OF RELIGION IN EUROPEAN INTEGRATIONS THE CASE OF SERBIA Religious theme in European Integration could end even before it began, staying in boundaries of the mere title. The reasons for this sort of inability to start are widely known basis upon which the following were built - first European Coal and Steel Community, then European Community and the unfinished entity today known as the European Union, all of which have neither links with religion nor stronghold in it. No wonder that in enormous literature about forms of enlargement of the European Union there is no word about past or possible roles of religion. 1 Similar inability to start is also in the second part of this paper s topic and it should refer to the case of Serbia. This inability reflects in the fact that the Serbian case is not an exception, especially when it comes to religion, since Romania and Bulgaria as predominantly orthodox countries have been accepted into the EU. It should be emphasized that the process was performed without any or at least any notable or documented role of confession like it was the case with Greece. This deprives of all arguments even those who shouted that where orthodoxy begins Europe ends. 2 On the other hand, half of a century has passed since founding and development of the European Union, and the question of EU accession of Republic of Serbia is raised only just now. What is also indisputable is the unidirectional way of the entire process, always heading from EU to Serbia, and not the other way around. This kind of lag in generational transmission could seem as a paradox since historians and lawyers could most certainly prove the statehood of Serbia throughout centuries, but we lack the space for tackling this matter now. It is very important to emphasize and thus solve the paradox is the fact that the Republic of Serbia has been in the position of independent accession negotiator since June 3, 2006 date when Montenegro, as the other and only member of state union with Serbia, left the union via referendum. It was the last remaining piece of the former Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia formed after World War II and destroyed by the civil war in the nineties of the last century. Even though the official diplomacy of Serbian Government is working hard to meet all conditions and to open the chapter of accessing European Union, and even though leaders of Serbian political elite were declared The Best Europeans of the year, a thorough research is not needed to find somewhat contradictory statements of some European officials; according to those statements Serbia is perceived merely as a part of the Balkans and it is welcome to the EU only as a part of that unity, or even that there will be no enlargement of the European Union, at least not in the near future. 3 Now, if we managed to indicate the meaning of the phrase inability to start the topic a question rises where does the need for its presentation come from and more importantly how great is its importance? 1. Ćeranić, J.(2011) Oblici povezivana država članica u Evropskj uniji, Beograd: Službeni : Institut za uporedno pravo 2 Huntington, S. (2000) The Clash of Civilizations and the Remaking of World Order, Podgorica: Cid, Romanov 3 According to online _ Vesti _ Srbija _ Han_ We want entire Balkans in the EU! May 6, 2015

2 The source of the allure could lie in the present moment holding a sequence of repentant statements coming from some of the founders of the EU 4, the increase of Anti-Europeism among Europeans 5, compromised consistency of the most powerful member states 6, enormous increase of immigration 7, to many unknown in this form, which leads to great fear equaled to Islamic fundamentalism, Ukraine crisis, and some would say crisis in the EU generally. Let us go back for a moment to SFRY, which included Serbia as one of its republics, a country with several nations and national minorities, several official languages, with different religions ( all of which were oppressed by socialistic organization of the ruling communist party), with high standard and regarded as the fourth strongest European military force. The catastrophic breakdown during the 1990 war comprises a religious factor which was not properly recorded but colloquially there is no need for discussion whether the factor was misused. It is a fact that religious objects were a special target, religious marks were present both in the media and in illegal military formations, but it is also a fact that Serbian Orthodox Church had a very clear and public attitude call for peace. 8 Thus Serbia has got recent experience, unfortunately gained the hard way, when it comes to multiethnic, multi-confessional, multilingual coexistence with high standard and as a notable military force. In a description such as this some could recognize the EU as a similar concept. Even though we could agree that the modern Balkan state as opposed to modern European Enlightenment imbued state, is not based upon civil freedom but upon the strength of nationalistic idea that stuck in the region. 9 Moreover, Christian tradition to which European officials refer as the common denominator of Europeans is also centuries-old Serbian tradition. If in the European case that tradition is only expression of Occident in opposition to Orient, when instead of One Thousand and One Nights there are million and one immigrants coming, then Serbia offers five hundred years of firsthand experience with Islamic world, historically based and recognized from the menu to mentality. In a globally smaller and hardly noticeable extent, on a micro level, one can learn a lot from Serbia if one focuses correctly and also if the above mentioned unidirectional way turns into bidirectional. It might seem too harsh, but the claim that the EU is a pioneer venture is simply not true, and to say the least that the concept has already been seen in a smaller version. Equally important, especially for the purposes of this paper, is the question whether the Christian tradition called upon by Pro-Europeans is still essentially immanent to Europe or is it only a common denominator in orientation towards the other one, always the other one, towards Orient, as a special construct in a manner showed by Edward Said? 10 Past can be a burden, but a greater problem are inherited patterns placed in front of generations who are unable or do not want to break the code. It does not have to be 4 E.g. Famous Jean Monet s statement that if the European Union would be found again, he would start from culture and not economy 5 Tylor, P.(2010) The End of European Integration: Anti-Europeanism Examined, Beogad: Službeni 6 The UK support to the USA during the bombarding of Iraq 7 According to: : August 14, The Round Table: Doprinos crkava i verskih zajednica u izgradnji trajnog mira na jugoistoku Evrope; Strazbur 19 i 20. jun, 2008 g. Asocijacija nevladinih organizacija Civis: Beograd, Vujačić, I.(2002) Politička teorija: studije, portreti, rasprave, Beograd: Čigoja štampa 10 Said, E.(2008), Orientalism; 2nd Edition; Beograd:Knjižara Krug

3 perceived as consistency or stoutness of power. It can be despair caused by inability of finding something new and altogether functional, but also a challenge to find that and make it happen. In the beginning of the 21 st century it is wrong to think that European system of values is safe and accepted throughout entire Europe 11. On the other hand, those who fail to remember risk surviving things all over again. Considering the experience of two world wars, the motto itself triggers a great negative psychological effect of letting go of the European value system, proclaimed by Germany and France conciliation. Impossibility of making a clear definition of European Integration and decrease of popularity taking up those challenges could only signify a momentary fatigue during an unfinished process. Some think that Europe has a future only if it molds itself into the Empire. 12 Only empires, unlike structural conservatism defined by state order, are able to make big changes. European political elite was surprised by the fact that there is no political equality of member states from the moment they saw that there already was a larger imperial player the USA. They realized Europe might have to resist it for the sake of personal identity but on the other hand it must not become the USA s periphery but rather its power s sub center. Others doubt that the position is already taken by the United Kingdom, especially after 2006 and Iraq events. 13 Far from disintegration, but even earlier events in 1999 and attitude and the role of the European Union in Serbia bombarding could undergo some analysis that would not mean consistent attitudes in all European member states. The European Union seemed as a unity, but it did not seem unified, rather disunited, just like with the Iraq case. Christianity seems to be excluded from the integrations but from possible disintegrations, too. Christian state is a paradox. And it is essentially impossible. 14 Even though Council of Europe takes religion as a factor 15, we are not really sure how. Of course, in parts of legal documents that regulate the European Union, especially in the part about human rights, is easy to fine the role of church. Parallel to development of the European Union, international church conferences were developed too, legally speaking as nongovernmental organizations. But no Christian has the right to oppose their government, no matter if it is just or unjust 16 as Martin Luther said. Paul the Apostle using other words taught that all power comes from God. 17 Before them Jesus Christ himself said: "Render unto Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and unto God the things that are God's". 18 Catholic Church put emphasis on social, not church role, when it allowed salvation even beyond the church. 19 In the Serbian case, it is clear that Serbian 11 Tylor, P.(2010) The End of European Integration: Anti-Europeanism Examined, Beograd; Draslar partner 12 Münkler, H.(2009), Empires: The Logic of World Domination from Ancient Rome to the United States;Beograd: Službeni 13 Tylor, P.(2010) The End of European Integration: Anti-Europeanism Examined, Beogad: Službeni : Beograd 14 Berđajev N., in : Jerotić,V.(2005) Vera i nacija, Beograd: Neven 15 Kitanović, E.(2013), Uloga Crkava u procesu evropskih integracija: učešće konferencije evropskih crkava u radu međunarodnih oganizacija u periodu , Beograd: Službeni 16 Stanovčić,V.(2003) Političke ideje i religija, knjiga I, Udruženje za političke nauke Jugoslavije; Beograd: Čigoja štampa 17 Zbornik radova(2013) Crkva u pluralističkom društvu, Hrišćanski kulturni centar, Beograd: Fondacija Konrad Adenauer 18 Novi Zavet Stari i Novi Zavet(1994), preveo Lujo Bakotić-Novi Sad:Dobra vest 19 Kitanović,E.(2013) Uloga Crkava u procesu evropskih integracija: učešće konferencije evropskih crkava u radu međunarodnih oganizacija u periodu , Beogard: Službeni

4 church does not obstruct European integration. 20 The fact that the European Union rose in a Catholic and Protestant setting could be differentia specifica, especially in Weber s sense postulated in The Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism. Serbia does not possess the tradition of capitalist organization, not the Protestant spirit as the source. But these arguments now belong to historic and geopolitical analytical discourse. In addition to all these separate courses the course of history and the course of eschaton, European integrations, and mostly globalization, are immanent to the very nature of Orthodox Church. 21 Examples of religion turning into a crucial political factor can be found throughout history, maybe the best would be Muhammad s example. Legislation (Moses) deification of the ruler to whom God gave power, different forms and relations of church and state mainly antagonistic, and we can simply and only view it in the past through academic discourse. Claims that people rush to churches during catastrophes are true. 22 It is also true that the institution that has lasted for two thousand years is not academy, it is not monarchy, but it is the Diocese. 23 The writer of these lines himself is a witness of great expansion of Serbian Orthodox Church after the nineties war and breakdown of SFRY which was followed by mass spreading (from this distance one could even say momentary mass spreading) and new advanced legislation that regulated the institution of Church. But I do not perceive Toynbee s foresight of religion explosion in 21 st century as Christian, or Islamic, or as any other monotheistic or other religion. I perceive it as an indication of a new ontology that can be foreseen essentially different from this new world perspective. Foucault said that man is a recent invention. 24 We are here talking about that man. We unite people, not countries. 25 But that Foucault s young entity is too small to carry cumulated historical catastrophe before him. He is lost in postmodern combinations of gender identity, temporarily interesting social constructs freshly evicted from the scandal machinery in the centre of media attention. Or he might be thrilled about legislative confirmation of above mentioned so that he could consume them more and more until he consumes them all and a new consumer need is born. God is solely old-fashioned museum piece that stands for boring, slow and restricting factors for a crazy life ride. Religion is a book term with no meaning. That is the beginning of the new era which demands new ontology. Ideologies are passé. The concepts of democracy, government, religion and state are outdated, they can only be part of a discussion and cannot have a part in our new reality. Because of this Donna Haraway choice was the cyborg 26 and not the goddess. The cyborg is the beginning without a source, the freedom without responsibility, self-indulgence without restrictions, progress without effort, knowledge without studying, a perfection that does not succumb to the restrictions of history or moral, it is already beyond death and 20 Religioznost građana Srbije i njihov odnos prema proesu evropskih integracija(2011) Fondacija Konrad Adenauer, Beograd:Hrišćanski kulturni centar, Centar za evropske studije 21 Ibid 22 Grace,D. according to: The Round Table: Doprinos crkava i verskih zajednica u izgradnji trajnog mira na jugoistoku Evrope; Strazbur 19 i 20. jun, 2008 g. Asocijacija nevladinih organizacija Civis: Beograd, Hrišćanstvo i evropske integracije (2010), Fondacija Konrad Adenauer: Beograd: Ekopres 24 Stanovčić,V.(2003), Političke ideje i religija, knjiga II, Udruženje za političke nauke Jugoslavije, Beograd: Čigoja štampa 25 Jean Monet s words, according to: The Round Table: Doprinos crkava i verskih zajednica u izgradnji trajnog mira na jugoistoku Evrope; Strazbur 19 i 20. jun, 2008 g. Asocijacija nevladinih organizacija Civis: Beograd, Haraway Donna: A Cyborg Manifesto

5 the duty to prove itself. The only future of the cyborg is one that it will create or more precisely one that it will chose from the innumerable offers of the virtual world. During history, or from the eschatological perspective, an entity like this was unimaginable but it finally manages to merge these unmergeable borderless flows but without the slightest security or knowledge about the consequences. Due to the impossibility of complete harmony between numerous factors, the world at the end of its tether is changing the paradigm and disregarding the entire history, be it global or an event of salvation, as Carl Levitt had postulated. A citizen of Europe, a citizen of the world is not a citizen of the geographical concept, but instead a citizen of worlds while all they might need from this stale traditional one is a power source. The question What is Europe and who are its subjects is a question of identity. The Christian tradition and the antic roots seem like outmoded concepts, not due to the passage of time but because they have become the thing of discourse and not political reality. The case of the Republic of Serbia is not specific in its own way, but the approach of the unpredictable and fickle fate and characteristics of the case is, in the Spengler sense. His claim that there are no precisely fabricated and accepted structures that could be theoretically shaped, replicated and implemented also supports that finding.

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