Prof. dr Zorica Kuburić Faculty of Philosophy Novi Sad, Serbia

UDK: 37.014.523(497.11) 378.6:2(497.11) Original scientific paper Received: 24. 12. 2007.

 

THEOLOGICAL FACULTIES

AND RELIGIOUS EDUCATION IN SERBIA

Summary

The theological faculties in Serbia are preparing students for the calling of a priest, pastor and teacher of religious education in increasing numbers. This study shows the work method of Orthodox, Catholic and Protestant theological faculties. It describes the choice of subjects, the organization of classes and the effectiveness of the studying. Taking into account the number of believers, educational institutions and priests, the Serbian Orthodox Church has a significant place in nurturing spirituality and the cultural heritage of Serbian people. In the same area, among the same people as a need of self reexamination and the recognition of others, are active religious communities which carry the spirit of the western culture and offer the theological education of the Catholic and Protestant theology. Students of theological faculties are male and female students who wish to transfer spiritual values to the society in which they live in and preserve the past in the future.

Key words: Theology, Christianity, Serbia, Religious Education.

Introduction

In this study I will present some elementary historic data about the work of theological faculties in Serbia. I have personally been involved in this field research, attended numerous lectures, interviewed professors and students, held lectures, conducted empirical researches. The ease of today's access to internet makes this subject, in some way, available and accessible to everyone, but to truly understand the essence of theological education, personal experience stays the primary method. The first text about "Teološki fakulteti u Jugoslaviji (Theological Faculty in Yugoslavia)", which I wrote, was published in the journal: Od liceja do savremenog univerziteta i univerziteta budućnosti (From licej to the modern university and the university of the future), the University of Kragujevac, 1998. Since then, my interest in theological faculties has spread to researches which refer to religious lectures in Serbia and the increasing importance of religion on the society.

The social position of the clergy, as a professional group whose basic role is to organize religious life, has varied through history from privileged status to the marginalization. Within the main job of organizing religious life, priests intermediate "the holy" to laymen, conduct educational work, advise the believers, work on the spread of the religion. It is mainly thought that for being able to do such a calling, a special kind of knowledge is needed and acquiring the degree in a formal fashion (Flere, 1982).

One indicator of the religious society complexity level is the number of priests and the number of educational institutions (Đorđević, 1998). A large number of religious communities are active in Serbia, however not all of them have institutions for educating the staff for the church work and the work in the community, and those which do have such institutions differ in the organization and in the methods of education (Kuburić, 1998a). In Serbia, it is possible to study Orthodox, Catholic and Protestant theology.

ORTHODOX THEOLOGY

According to the words of Radovan Bigović (1995) there is a great number of young people who want to study Orthodox theology. Greater interest in Orthodox theology is shown by many intellectuals, people of different professions and orientations.

By opening the Theological Faculty of the Belgrade University in September of 1920, the need of the Serbian Orthodox Church for higher education was realized with which priests would be educated under the same conditions as other professions in the scientific spirit of the time. It is known that religion has played an important role in the formation of identity, transfer of culture and literacy, moral development of the society. However, relation between religion and science as between religion and ideology was rival, and conflicts have caused mutual separation. The same is true at the institution level, when in July of 1952, the theological faculty was removed from the Belgrade University. It was in accordance with the Constitution on the subject of the separating the Church from the State. This weakened the decision in 1905 which founded the Theological Faculty in Belgrade University, but its implementation was subsequently delayed for 15 years, due to wars and insufficient staff.

The magazine "Bogoslovlje" in 1980 has published a study: "Orthodox theological faculty of the Serbian Orthodox Church" (1920-1980), which presents everything about the faculty and the professors working at the time, their biographies and bibliographies (Kašić, 1980). A similar study, but in a smaller span, was published in 1961 for the 40th anniversary of the faculty (Drašković, 1961). The secretary of the theological faculty, Petar Šerović prepared a historical review of the theological faculty which was for the presentation on internet.

According to the deans office report from April 30th of 1996, the staff of the Orthodox Theological Faculty is composed of four regular professors, six temporary professors, three docents and eight assistants – all together 21 lecturers. Beside them, there are also two part time lecturers and one lecturer for Church singing with regulations and a conductor of the student choir, and also one lector for English and German language. Altogether with part time lecturers, the staff of the Orthodox Theological Faculty consists of 15 PhD of theology and other sciences (Nemanjić, 1996).

In the school year 1998/1999, the staff of the Orthodox Theological Faculty was consisted of: 4 regular professors, 5 temporary professors, 4 docents, 10 assistants, 1 lector for foreign languages, 1 lecturer for Church singing, 3 part time professors and 1 guest lecturer from United States. The number of students enrolled was 224 (of which 27 female).

The data for the school year 97/98 is interesting because of 432 students enrolled 348 were male and 84 female. The majority of students are male (80%) and those who are attending regularly (79%). Female students are present in Orthodox Theological Faculty from the first year of its existence. Last year females made 20% of the total number of students. The first year of studies is always the largest by number and then the number of students reduces. Last year 187 students enrolled on the first semester (134 regular and 53 who do not attend lectures); 95 students enrolled the third semester (80 regular and 15 who do not attend lectures); 88 students enrolled the fifth semester (77 regular and 11 who do not attend lectures); 62 students enrolled the seventh semester (50 regular and 12 who do not attend lectures). In 97/98 17 students had graduated (of which 5 females). Postgraduate studies enrolled 16 students (2 females).

In the last 20 years an average of 164 students have enrolled at the Orthodox Theological Faculty every year. It is interesting to notice that the year 1982 had the least number of students enrolled in the first semester, that is 97 students (Nemanjić, 1996), while 10 years later, the year 1992 had the most students enrolled in the first semester, 322 students. The interest in studying theology is in connection with social condition. The need for God is emphasized in the periods of social crises.

Data on number of theology students has been published in other studies (Kašić, 1980; Drašković, 1961; Nemanjić, 1996; Kuburić, 1999). In this study we will mention the data on the total number of enrolled students and the number of students enrolled in the first semester of the school year 95/96. All data was acquired from the secretary of the Orthodox Theological Faculty.

In the year 2000/01 the number of students that enrolled on the II semester was 242, the III 152 students and IV 88 students. The number of graduates was 32 (the data is according to the statement of the secretary of faculty). During 1998/99 22 students graduated.

In the year 2001/02 the number of students that enrolled on the I semester was 131. The second year had 178 students, third had 165 and fourth had 74. The number of student on all years was 549, and 28 graduated.

In the academic 2003/04, the Orthodox Theological Faculty had 1306 students.

Year Total Number of students enroled

in the I semester

1995/96 740 185

1996/97 671 150

1997/98 432 187

1998/99 642 224

2000/01 705 223

According to the information bulletin for the applicants of the Orthodox Theological Faculty, the rights of direct enrolment into the first year of the theological faculty have members of Orthodox denomination, who have graduated from the theological high school including the exam of maturity, regardless of the national belonging or citizenship, but with the approval from the authorized episcope. Graduates from other faculties of the Belgrade University have also the right to directly enrol. The rights of enrolment, with passed entrance exam, also have high school graduates of humanitarian course. Persons who are deprived of clerical duties and those who have been criminally convicted cannot enrol in the Orthodox Theological Faculty. The student can lose the right of schooling if they change their confession, conduct a moral or criminal act which is conflict with the ethic principles of the Orthodox Church or if an authorized archpriest deprives the blessing for studying.

The curriculum has changed several times, and these changes have been mentioned in publications of other studies (Kuburić, 1998; 1999; 2001). On the official internet site of the Orthodox Theological Faculty, the actual curriculum can be seen, which is being adapted to the programmes of other collages since the Orthodox Theological Faculty has become a part of the Belgrade University once more.

In 1990, the Serbian Orthodox Church has founded an Institute in addition to the Faculty on the level of a two year faculty, which offers a shortened programme of theological education and provides a qualification of a teacher for religious education), missionary and other similar activities in the Church. In the year 1990/91 73 students were enrolled; 1991/92 – 175; 1992/93 – 194; 1993/94 – 186; 1994/95 – 143; 1996/97 – 87; 1997/98 –131; 1998/99 – 142 students. The number of enrolled student was 1283. There was no limit to the number of student that could be enrolled nether on the Faculty nether on the Institute, all who pass the entrance exam could enroll the studies.

According to the book of evidence on graduates we can come to a conclusion that utill the year 1999, 58 students graduated from the Institute (41 male and 17 female). The first graduation exam was held on September 29th of 1993 when the first student graduated. In the next year, 1994 – 5 graduates; 1995 – 9; 1996 – 14; 1997 – 19; 1998 – 10...

The number of students on the Institute in the year 2001/02: First year 230; Second year 129, total 359 students, 37 graduates.

Between 2002 and 2004, 46 students graduated. The number has doubled due to the closing of the Institute (2003/04). The reason for the closure of the Institute was because for the needs of the religious classes require the degree of Orthodox Theological Faculty. Also priests cannot be ordained as priests without finishing a course at the theological faculty. This was the decision of the archpriest.

The total number of enrolled students was 1283 which means that in average 142 students enrolled in the college every year, and 10 graduates. From the number of graduates 70% are male and 30% are female. Graduate students of the Theological Institute, in accordance with the degree of the Orthodox Theological Faculty, have the right to continue the schooling in the Orthodox Theological Faculty.

Interest in studying orthodox theology varies from year to year, but it is noticed that in the school year 1992/93 the total number of enrolled students was 516, college (322) and institute (194). The Serbian Orthodox Church since the school year 1990/91has had an average of 196 students enrolled in the Orthodox Theological Faculty and 142 students enrolled in the Theological Institute, which makes about 338 students per year. The Orthodox Theological Faculty has been moved to the new building in 1995. New information on the data, changes of the curriculum can be found on the website of the Serbian Orthodox Faculty.

The magazine published by Orthodox Theological Faculty in Belgrade was started by PhD Bogoljub Šijaković who is also its editor, professor of Philosophy and vice dean for sciences of the Orthodox Theological Faculty of the University of Belgrade, who was a minister in the Federal Ministry for the religious community relations. The magazine "Philotheos" began in 2001. and have very good scientific position in list of Ministry of science. There are six editions which contain texts in several languages and representatives of various religious communities.

CATHOLIC THEOLOGY

The Catholic Church has, during the existence of the former Yugoslavia, paid great attention to the education of its priests. Beside the great number of high schools and colleges (faculties), we will mention only the Catholic Theological Faculty in Zagreb which has, according to the publication of the Religious community in Yugoslavia (1970) had only 403 theology students. In addition to the faculty there is the Catechist Institute, Institute of church music and the Institute of theological culture of laymen. In this study we will focus our attention on the Catholic theology which found its place in the educational system of Serbia.

According to the report by the Ministry of Religious Affairs of, Republic of Serbia, in the pamphlet: "Religious communities in the Republic of Serbia" (1997), in the former Yugoslavia Catholic Church was united and its highest organizational form was Bishop's Conference, which was composed of archbi-shops and bishops. Since the formation of new states in the territory of the former Yugoslavia, changes were made to the organization of the Catholic Church, and number of believers reduced which could be traced through the censuses of 1991 and 1992. The believers of the Catholic Church in the Republic of Serbia are mainly of Hungarian, Croatian nationalities and Albanians in a small number.

According to the Informer of the Institute of theology and catechism, founded by the bishopric of Subotica in 1993, we find that that there was a need for the education of the staff in the catechism as well as for the other church services, because fifty years of communism and its tough heritage took its toll on bishopric of Subotica and other bishoprics of Yugoslavia. Entire generations were left without essential knowledge of their ancestors' religion. As the largest Catholic diocese in the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, bishopric of Subotica is considered responsible for the position and effectiveness of the Catholic Church. Besides atheistic influence, present is the ecumenical region with other participants, beside most numerous Orthodox there are Reformatory, Evange-list, Adventist, Baptist and another 26 other smaller denominations. Due to the constant decrease in numbers of priests, today from 110 districts of bishopric of Subotica, 60 of them has its parish priests. Indications given by some politicians about a possibility of introducing Orthodox religious education to schools has contributed to the creation of the Institute which could also be of use to Catholic intellectuals.

Professors of the Institute are chosen by the rector – Chairman of the Subotica bishopric. Professors during the appointment in accordance with the regulations of the canon, ceremonially confess their belief before the Chairman of the bishopric and sign their confession of belief. The Institute has 34 professors (32 male and 2 female). All professors work by the call, part time (3 professors are from Hungary from the Theological Faculty of Szeged). Interesting information is that one professor has three PhD degrees, one has two, and 12 professors have one PhD degree, while others do not have the PhD degree (5 M.A. and 15 lecturers). According to the national belonging of the professors, 15 are Hungarian, 13 Croatian, 2 German, 2 Ukraine, 1 Slovenian and 1 Serb.

There are rights to enrol have adults with high school graduation or higher and passed entrance exam, and those who wish to join the Church service work, which they declare at the time of enrolment. Candidates need to have a recommendation from the county parish priest, that is from the Ordinaj, (if from a different diocese). Other citizens can also enrol in the Institute without the recommendation of the parish priest, the difference is that they will need to cover the costs of the studies themselves. The Institute also organizes a preparation course for the entrance exam (bases of faith, native language and methodology of scientific work).

According to the curriculum the following seminars are obligatory and their duration is 6 hours for each seminar per semester: World Literature, Latin language, Foreign language, Catechism and a choice of one main subject.

Lectures are conducted in two languages – Croatian and Hungarian. In Novi Sad lectures are held in both Croatian and Hungarian languages, Croatian in Subotica and Hungarian in Totovo selo (Totov village). Students are divided in four groups according to the lecture language and closeness of the school to the place of living. Lectures are held on weekends. Lectures are also organized in form of seminars, consultations, tests and exams.

The first generation of students graduated this year (19 male and 11 female students). The graduation ceremony was on November 11th 1998. From the group with Hungarian language lectures 25 students graduated and from the group with Croatian language lectures 5 students graduated. Until now the total number of students enrolled is 270, 136 Hungarians who attend lectures in Hungarian language and 134 students who attend lectures in Croatian language, and their nationalities are the following: Croatian 60; Serbian 16; Hungarian 15; Ruthenian 14; Ukrainian 9; Undecided 9; Slovak 6; Polish 2; Albanian 1; Slovenian 1 and Togo 1. From the total number of enrolled students, Hungarian group is consisted of 71 male and 65 female students and the Croatian group is consisted of 66 male and 68 female students. Based on this data we can come to a conclusion that on the Institute of Catholic Catechism there is almost the same number of male and female students. About changes in the curriculum, since the introduction of Religious Education to the Serbian educational system, and answers to other actual questions can be found on the site of the Bishopric of Subotica (http://www.suboticka-biskupija.info/tki.php).

PROTESTANT THEOLOGY

Protestantism in Yugoslavia has its representatives in numerous church institutions; however, not all of them have their educational institutions. Priests, pastors in protestant religious communities become believers, who are distinguished the most by their qualities, of their knowledge of the Bible and the religious doctrine of a certain religious community, by good rhetorical capabilities, sense for the organization of the religious life and gathering new believers, that is missionary work (Religious communities of the Republic of Serbia, 1997). It is interesting to notice that, although women can study theology the same as men, only in protestant churches we find women working as priestesses and conducting all ceremonies.

Most of the protestant theologians were educated abroad depending on the community that they belong to. However, of the protestant religious communities, the Christian Adventist Church (Seventh-day Advetntist) has a developed educational system consisting of an Adventist theological faculty in Belgrade (1974 – 1991 in Maruševec), The Institute for religious education and Biblical Correspondence School. Christian Baptist Church has Biblical-Theological Center "Logos" in Novi Sad as an institution of the Association of Baptist Churches in Serbia. Christ's Pentecostal Church until the break of the former Yugoslavia had Biblical-Theological Institute in Osjek (Evangelistic –Theological faculty). Protestant Theological Institute and Theological Faculty have been organized in Novi Sad. A certain number of protestant communities still educate their clergy abroad. This study will elaborate plans for the education of theological students in Serbia.

ADVENTISTS

The Christian Adventist Church (Seventh-day Adventist) is well known for its developed educational system and great number of universities and faculties world wide and its website (http://www.answers.com/topic/list-of-seventh-day-adventist-colleges-and-universities) a whole number of countries and Adventist Theological Faculties can be found. I wasn't able to find the site of the faculty in Belgrade because it is still in making.

Adventists in Belgrade as a religious institution were organized in 1925, and reorganized in 1992 under the name "South-Eastern European Union". The number of baptized adult believers who regularly attend church ceremonies is around 8000 and they gather every Saturday in over 200 churches (Seventh-day Adventist Yearbook, 1997; 2000; 2006). The education of preachers started in 1931. The new building of the Theological Faculty in Belgrade was bought from the Catholic monastery on Banovo Brdo. The first generation of students, in new work conditions after the breakdown of Yugoslavia, was enrolled in the school year 1992/93. Total number of students enrolled was 25 (13 male and 12 female students).

Until the year 1999 the total number of graduates was 43 students which is little over half of students enrolled in the first 3 generations (53%). The total number of enrolled students in the first seven generations is 159 (101 male and 58 female students). According to the data, male students (64%) make the majority of students on Theological Faculty, female students (36%). When we look at the number of graduates we can see that 60% of them are male and 40% female, the same percentage as for the enrolled students in the first three generations. According to all this data we can come to a conclusion that up to the year 2000, the Theological Faculty enrolled en average of 22 students of which 14 graduated. We can also notice that at the start females were more interested in studying theology. However, in the period after 2000, the number of students decline, partly caused by the policy of the church itself, due to the decrease of openings, due to absence of Adventist religion among the school program of religious education in public schools and due to the decrease in interest. In the school year of 2005/06 in the first entrance period 4 students applied and another 4 in the second, eight in total. In June of 2006 only 2 students have applied for studying theology. Number of students that graduated in 2006 was 7, and total number of students on all four years of Adventist Theological Faculty was 32, in average 8 students per year. This data shows that since 2000, the number of students who apply for the studies has reduced 50%.

The final examination is held for the whole generation in the June and September, while the graduation ceremony is held only in June. During ceremonial services students are dressed in ceremonial robes, diplomas are given with professors, parents, congregation, sponsors and others interested present for this annual ceremony dedicated to the faculty. Every year until 2006, the graduation ceremony was held at the Main church in Belgrade, and in 2006 for the first time it was held in Novi Sad. The reason for transferring the ceremony to Novi Sad is because it was the first generation from the private Adventist high school which is situated in Novi Sad to graduate.

On the Theological Faculty, lectures are held by 25 professors of which 11 have a PhD degree (3 of them are employed on the faculty, 4 are part time employees from Belgrade and 5 are guests who work on universities in other countries), 9 have M.A. degree (4 permanently employed, 1 part time employee and 3 who live abroad and give lectures when needed) and 5 lecturers. Due to the decrease of student numbers, there are more subjects attended by all the or by two generations, and these subjects appear every second or fourth year.

The Theological Faculty of Christian Adventist Church has founded the Institute for Religious Education in 1993, which has a two year programme for religious teachers and, laymen. The lectures are: Serbian language, pedagogic psychology, development psychology, pedagogy, all with two hours per week and biblical doctrine with three hours per week. The total number of classes are 350 for 4 semesters. At the start the number of students was between 85 and 100, and in the first generation 25 students graduated on 9th and 10th of September 1995 during the ceremony held on the Theological Faculty. The lectures were held in Belgrade, Niš and Novi Sad on weekends, four times per year. However, every year at the beginning of September seminars for Religious teachers are held, when concrete instructions are given for the realization of the curriculum and the plan for the current year.

According to the words of Jovan Mihaljčić (1994), every educational system is based on a certain philosophy of upbringing and education which gives answers: what is the goal and what are the missions of a certain education, with what methods to achieve the goal. The philosophy of upbringing and education affects the image of the entire school institution starting from the school type, the curriculum (plan and program), textbooks, educational staff, activity schedule and to the financial and economical needs of such an facility. The number of credits for each semester is 17, which means that the total number of lectures per year is 544, which represents the whole fond of 2176 classes. On the Adventist Theological faculty, breaks between classes are made after 50 minutes. This faculty is accredited by an American accreditation body. By this system, for every hour of lectures, professor needs to spend at least two hours of individual work in the library with the students. This is the reason why there is a limitation in the number of credits one student can have during the semester. During the education, until graduation, the number of credits is usually 15, while on the post graduation level it is from 8 to 12. One so called credit represents one lecture per semester or trimester, depending on the organization of the school. One trimester represents 11 working weeks while one semester has 16. and that is why the value of semester credit is 50% greater than the trimester.

Frequent changes of faculty leadership contribute to the partial changes of the curriculum. From talking to the dean (Galus Laslo, 2006) we find that the actual division of the subjects on Biblical, theological, historical and practical. Contemporary theological trends are followed and another theological magazine is being prepared named Theological horizons and will be published by the Theological faculty in Belgrade.

BAPTISTS AND PENTECOSTALS

According to the report received from Rut Lehotsky (1997), Biblical theological center began as a Baptist theological school in 1954. From 1957 it established a building of its own in Novi Sad. The school started as a four year high school. From 1957, first two years represent theological high school (after 10 years), and the second two years represent a two year theological faculty. From 1991 the school has enlarged its field of work. In accordance to this the school changes its name to Biblical-Theological center. Programs of the center are: Theological College (Pastoral program), Biblical school, Biblical summer school, English language through Bible, Extensive theological education, Correspondence studies, and Conference center.

The center is a school of open type, that is open for students of all evangelical churches in the country and abroad. The number of students was around 30. Most of the students enrolled for their enriching personal knowledge. Some of them (5 to 10) continued the studies. The student accommodation is as in a boarding school, except those who live in Novi Sad or are married.

The first two semesters (the first year of the studies) are Biblical School, and the following 6 semesters (three years) represent the Pastoral Studies. The biblical school represents a totality, and pastoral studies have a prerequisite. The requirement is finished high school. At the end of the studies the final exam includes a written essay which is defended before a committee.

The theological faculty in Novi Sad began its work in year 2000. The Baptist association of Serbia and Montenegro, as stated on the website (http://www.nstconline.org/sr/) has offered for use its vacant workspace so that the new interdenominational theological school could begin its work. Under the leadership of the dean Dimitrije Popadić it offers education on the level of a one year course, college, faculty, M.A. and PhD studies. From the beginning to the August of 2005, 38 students have finished various courses. A theological magazine is noticed, published by the Theological Faculty of Novi Sad which could be found on the website www.tf-ns.edu.yu and the editor of the magazine is Dr Dimitrije Poparić, the dean of the faculty,

At the end I will mention that the Christ's Pentecostal Church has founded Pentecostal-theological institute in Novi Sad on April of 1996, and the whole project began in 1992. The Prezbiterij of the local Pentecostal church was the ideological initiator of the project. The average number of students per year is 10. The number of graduates of the first generation was 7, which was actually the number of students that enrolled in the first generation. The number of professors with the PhD and M.A. degree is 14, from which 5 are lecturers of the institute (3 PhD and 2 M.A.). Two foreign professors were included to the staff. The conditions for the enrolment were: the age of over 18, graduation from high school, medical certificate of mental health, the membership of a local church – a year from the baptism at least. For applying the presence of the pastor or deputy shepherd of the church the applicant was obligatory, who certifies the credibility of the applicants personal information, given on at least two and at the most three printed pages, pages should include: biography, testimony of the converting; the vision of the future spiritual life and work of the applicant and a recommendation of the pastor. The work of this institute has not continued, due to the openness of the Theological Faculty of Novi Sad to all Evangelic Christians.

CONCLUSION

The theological faculties of Serbia correspond to the needs of the believers for maintaining the personal identity in theory, ceremony and personal experience. The common characteristics of the theological studies are recognizable by the equally closed attitude toward something else or different. The selection during the enrolment, trough the entrance exam, personal recommendations and blessings of the religious community leaders, indicates the importance of the ethic regulations, moral qualities and personal characteristics that are expected from the future priests and preachers. The difference between theological faculties is the number of enrolled students and the number o students that graduate.

The culture of a nation and its economy are in conjunction with the type of religious organization and theological ideas, and determine the type of theology which will be taught on a certain theological faculties. In every country, the formation of educational systems is based on the needs of the believers of a certain religious community. In Serbia, in the domain of religion, religious communities are reorganizing and in the new conditions act according to their own view of the role they have in the society. The Serbian Orthodox Church has the need of maintaining the tradition and keeping the faith in liturgy, trough rituals and symbols which by their every act unite the past and the future. It all comes to the identity of the community goal which is to survive as it is and protect what it has.

In the opposite to the traditional organization of the religious community, on the territory of Yugoslavia act religious movements which are oriented to missionary work. The education of the priests and missionaries is taking place on the territory of the country in which living and working. The philosophy of upbringing and education, which influences the determination of the goals, organizing the lectures and the choice of methods is under the influence of beliefs of the religious communities.

Missionary work of Christian churches is based on Christ's call to spread the gospel to the world and every creature. The Orthodox, Catholic and Protestant theology have found the path to young people through theological faculties from which, each in its own way, fulfils the mission in the battle against atheization, secularization and satanization of the human race.

Bibliography

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Drašković Č. (1961) Četrdeset godina Bogoslovskog fakulteta u Beogradu, Bogoslovlje, Godina V (XX), Sveska 1 i 2, str. 1-27.

Flere S. (1982) Sveštenici, u: Sociološki leksikon, Savremena administracija, Beograd.

Kašić D. (1980) Bogoslovski fakultet (1920-1980), Bogoslovlje, Godina XXIV, Sveska 1 i 2, str. 1-7.

Kuburić Z. (1998) Verske zajednice u Jugoslaviji i njihovi međusobni odnosi, u: Učenje, organizacija i delovanje verskih zajednica i pokreta, V godišnja međunarodna konferencija JUNIR Niš, 26 – 28. jun 1998.

Kuburić Z. (1998b) Teološki fakulteti u Jugoslaviji (Theological Faculty in Yugoslavia), u: Od liceja do savremenog univerziteta i univerziteta budućnosti, Univerzitet u Kragujevcu, Kragujevac, 1998. pp. 243-258.

Kuburić Zorica (1999): Vera i sloboda, Verske zajednice u Jugoslaviji. JUNIR. Niš.

Lehotsky R. (1997) Istorija Hrišćanske baptističke crkve u Novom Sadu 1875 – 1997., Hrišćanska baptistička crkva, Novi Sad.

Mihaljčić J. (1994) Adventističko viđenje vaspitanja i obrzovanja, Glasnik, broj 3. str. 4-5.

Nemanjić M. (1996) Sveštenici Srpske pravoslavne crkve u XX veku – školovanje i poziv, u: Religija – crkva – nacija, vreme posle rata, YUNIR, Niš.

Seventh-day Adventist Yearbook (1997) Review and Herald Publishing Association, Hagerstown, MD 21740., U.S.A.

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Internet stranice:

http://www.suboticka-biskupija.info/tki.php

http://www.answers.com/topic/list-of-seventh-day-adventist-colleges-and-universities

http://www.adventisti.cg.yu/Pages/Svestenstvo.html

http://www.nstconline.org/sr/

http://www.nstconline.org/sr/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=12&Itemid=0

Prof. dr Zorica Kuburić

Filozofski fakultet

Novi Sad, Srbija

Teološki fakulteti i verska nastava u Srbiji

Rezime

Teološki fakulteti u Srbiji pripremaju studente za poziv sveštenika, pastora i nastavnika verske nastave. U ovom radu prikazan je rad na Bogoslovskom fakultetu SPC, Teološko-katehetskog instituta Subotičke biskupije i protestantskih teoloških fakulteta u Srbiji. Rad fakulteta prikazan je tako što su predstavljeni predmeti koji se proučavju, prikazana je organizacija nastave i efikasnost studiranja. Broj studenata je znatno povećan na teološkim fakultetima tradicionalnih verskih zajednica. Prema broju vernik, broju studenata na teologiji i broju sveštenika zaključujemo da je Srpska pravoslavna Crkva najuticajnija verska institucija u Srbiji. Njen značajni uticaj u formiranju i očuvanju duhovnog i nacionalnog identiteta je nesumnjivo najveći. Međutim, na istom prostoru, kao potreba vlastitog preipitivanja i prepoznavanja religijski drugog, takođe su aktivne verske zajednice koje nose duh zapadnog hrišćanstva i nude teološko obrazovanje katoličke i protestantske teologije. Studenti, znatno brojniji mladići u odnosu na devojke, žele da duhovne vrednosti neguju u društvu u kome žive i sačuvaju prošlost u budućnosti.

Ključne reči: teologija, hrišćanstvo, Srbija, verska nastava.