engleski

Religious Changes in Croatia from 1984 to 2004

Based on the comparative data of four researches conducted from 1984 to 2004 on representative samples of adult population in Croatia, this paper analyses religious changes in traditional church religiosity in identificational, ideological and practical dimensions. Despite the considerable increase of religiosity in all dimensions in the nineties, respondents showed the openness to some out-of-church beliefs, some of which being even opposite to the church doctrine (Roman Catholic Church). The social profile of religious/irreligious respondents is analysed. By its socio-cultural and socio-structural characteristics the religiosity in Croatia still got a mark of prevailingly rural origins and ambiance, of lower educational status and position within the social structure, and is usually connected with old age, but it is by no means a phenomenon that can be described only by the terms mentioned. To the extent in which religiosity is part of the family and a wider cultural and national tradition, in present socio-political situation we could expect the stabilisation of religious structure.

Religion; religiosity; changes; Croatia

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