EDUCATIONAL POTENTIAL OF YOUNG PEOPLE IN SERBIA FOR RELIGIOUS DIALOGUE AND TOLERANCE

Abstract

Institutional education of young people for religious dialogue and tolerance in
the Republic of Serbia began with the introduction of optional teaching subjects Religious
Education and Civic Education in primary and secondary schools in 2001. At the same
time, a radical reform of the educational system was started in accordance with neoliberal
ideological principles and development strategies. Explicit and hidden religious and
political contents can also be observed in many other teaching subjects that have undergone
reform changes in teaching contents, especially in primary education. Religious
education is conducted according to the confessional model for recognized churches and
traditional religious communities living in Serbia. As a general goal of Religious Education,
it was pointed out that it should provide students with a complete religious view of
the world and life, as well as enable them to freely adopt the spiritual and life values of the
Church or community to which they belong. Then, that this goal should be achieved in
an open and tolerant dialogue, with respect for other religious experiences and views. In
the tasks of Religious Education, it is indicated that it should develop in students the aspiration
towards responsible shaping of common life with other people, peoples, religious
communities and cultures different from their own. On the other hand, Civic Education
is defined as education for democracy and civil society. The main goal of teaching in this
subject is to acquire knowledge and develop skills for the role of a responsible citizen for
life in a democratically organized and humane society based on respect for human and
civil rights, the right to diversity and the development of multiculturalism. The teaching
content in these, as well as in other complementary subjects, has been influencing the
formation of basic value attitudes and rules of behavior for two decades, thus creating a
new religious and political culture among young people that contributes to a more tolerant
attitude towards many social issues and a better understanding of various social phenomena
and relationships. It is a well-founded assumption that young people studying in
Serbia have the educational potential for religious dialogue and tolerance.