As part of the cycle of lectures by new researchers at the Institute of Social Sciences, Milica Janković, a Junior Research Assistant from the Centre for Sociological and Anthropological Research, held a lecture on February 26, 2025 in the Great Hall of the Institute of Social Sciences on the topic “Religious education in Serbia: what insights might the majority Christian community learn from the minority?“.
Thanks to their efficient organization and missionary mindset, some minority Christian communities in Serbia have created their own educational system which functions through the educational institutions they have founded, as well as through various activities that take place regularly within the churches themselves. During the lecture it was emphasized that in most Protestant educational activities, the interpretation of Scripture plays a central role, and these activities are supported by a variety of auxiliary material for all ages that the church communities have at their disposal.
In this context, the lecture focused on the Christian Adventist Church, which represents one of the Protestant communities that has flourished in our region for over a century. Initially, the fundamental characteristics of the Adventist church were delineated, emphasizing specific religious tenets including the observance of the Sabbath and the belief in the second coming of Christ. In the following discussion, the significance of education within the Adventist community was highlighted, underscoring the essential role of schooling in equipping believers for service within the community, particularly in humanitarian and missionary endeavors. The lecture encompassed an overview of the Adventist educational system in Serbia, with particular emphasis on the curriculum offered by the private high school in Novi Sad and the academic programs provided by the Theological Faculty in Belgrade, both organized under the auspices of the Adventist church.
At the end of the lecture, it was stated that Protestant communities are often strong in those aspects in which traditional churches are weak, and therefore it is useful for a majority Eastern Orthodox community, like ours, to learn about their activities in various spheres, which can be very instructive.
