Dorota Gil

The topic of this article is the shift in the Serbian culture model in the eighteenth century that took place not only as a result of the well-known “turn to Russia” (in fact, an adoption of the Polish-Ukrainian-Russian pattern shaped in the first Polish Republic), but also under the significant influence of the Protestant models. The importance of Protestant schools and the University of Halle, rather poorly studied, reveals a great sense of “protestantisation” in the deep transformation of Serbian culture and that of most of the other Orthodox Slavic nations and the Orthodoxy itself. This is important especially with regard to the Pietistic ideas, combined with those of the Enlightenment, promoted by these centres.

In the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes (SHS), established in 1918, yugoslavism as a political idea of the integration of the nations was correlated by the Serbian intellectuals with another kind of the idea of community which only preserved terminological appearances of connection with the initial conception. In the interwar reality, unprecised „integral yugoslavism” gradually became the indication of the ethnic exclusivism of the Serbs and their leadership ambitions in the new state (philosophical ground for such a vision layed Miloš Djurić, whereas nationalisation of the community project was continued by Vladimir Dvorniković). The radicalisation of this programme ensued thanks to the ideologists of so called Christian nationalism (above all  Dimitrije Ljotić) and led to the affirmation of the values of the native traditionalism. Such a thought with a fascist indication, supported with the politicised Orthodoxy and taking shape of the Serbian national idea from the nineteen-thirties, will be constituted as a primary factor of the disintegration of the (imaginary) community of the Yugoslavs right into the nineteen-nineties.

In the article the most important aspects of a complex – and impeded by geopolitical reasons – national and cultural (self)identification of the Montenegrins, which is inscribed into a process of the reinterpretation of their native history and tradition, are taken into consideration. One of the most crucial problems of the Montenegrins, who have been for centuries existing within a common Serbian-Montenegrin cultural sphere, is not just their double identity at an individual level but also the identification at a collective level that derives from an important ethnic-cultural complexity of certain Montenegrin regions (within three ethno-geographic entities: the basic, the alternative and the hybrid). In the article an overwhelming political instrumentalization of identity discourse is analyzed. It is responsible for impeding attempts of the constructions of the Montenegrin canon of the cultural tradition and makes it possible to utilize the Orthodoxy (including the local Orthodox Churches) and Islam as a tool in making current policy.

The idea of the bond with ancestors, along with the categories of sin, suffering and redemption (in the soteriological interpretation) is one of the crucial ones in Petar II Petrović Njegoš’s poem “The Mountain Wreath” and constitutes the fundamental point of reference for the contemporary Serbian historiosophers (among others, R. Samardžić and V. Jerotić) as well. Updated and somewhat modified in the first half of the 20th century by bishop N. Velimirović, also at the beginning of the 21th century, this idea characterises a unique collectivistic thinking about Serb’s “historical curse” which stems from the collective responsibility and “inheritance of sins”.

This present article is devoted to an issue of assimilation and adaptation of the philosophical tendencies and literary patterns of the European enlightenment in Montenegrin literature which was established in 18th century in difficult internal circumstances and during constant threat to the independence of the country. Key advocates of the rationalistic, democratic and anticlerical demands were mainly descended from the romanized Adriatic communities and obtained their education in Western Europe –transplanting into native ground the ideas of the free mind and conscience, religious tolerance, just politics, reform of the state or general education. In the context of the above-mentioned and similar categories the works of Stefan Zanović, Jovan Baljević, Katerina Radonjićand other authors were considered. The special example of taking advantage of the enlightenment paradigm are texts of the bishops and political rulers from the PetrovićNjegošdynasty –their attitude was formed through the necessity of the defence of the legal-state interest and fidelity to the Christian ethic. As a case of such a meaning of the civilizing mission in the environment of disintegrated Montenegrin tribes Petar I was presented. Especially his messages to the clan communities contain many didactic appeals which are faithful to the enlightenment vision of the man and society.

The Contemporary Images of ‘Raskoł’ and Heresy from the Perspective of the Serbian-Montenegrin Cultural Relations

The article addresses problems concerning the contemporary forms of ‘raskoł’ and heresy within the Serbian-Montenegrin cultural sphere, ranging from misunderstandings with respect to the definitions of the notions in question, up to specific instances (often of an exclusively political nature) of conflicts between the canonically recognized and non-recognized Orthodox Churches. Acts of transferring both terms from the domain of religion onto the phenomena of the sociocultural and political spheres, happening very often but at the same time unjustified, characterize the contemporary discourse of intellectuals and clergymen that artificially reinforces antagonisms in the Serbian-Montenegrin relations.
 

The strategy of oblivion or omission of significant events and public figures has constituted differentia specifica of the processes occurring in Serbo-Montenegrin cultural sphere during the last twenty years. The article discusses, among other things, the most striking example of this strategy as exemplified by the symbolic figure – Saint Sava. The politicised efforts around oblivion/omission vs. fabulation of some untrue events from the saint’s life, undertaken by both Serb and Montenegrin intellectuals, result in a number of manipulative actions in the factual sphere and fit into consciously projected cultural politics of both nations.

In this article fundamental codes of Serbian tradition – the codes binding together various visions of heritage and models of historical memory within the collective imagery – are taken into consideration. At the moment there are certain processes taking place that aim at reintegration of these genuine codes, be them ecclesial, folk or state-controlled, and, at the same time, there is a tendency of a creation of new codes. The adaptation of old senses (phenomena, figures, events, ideas, symbols – presented in short – derived from the beginning of their codification in the 18th and 19the centuries) enables the Serbian culture to establish a division of cultural elements called “domestic” and “alien”. At ideological-political and moral levels the forms of actualization of certain traditions are used to stereotypize and essentialize ethnic elements, both in a sphere of religious and laic values.