All articles in category Serbia
April 2008
Serbia
Missionary Spotlight – Fact File: The Republic of Serbia
Fact File: the Republic of Serbia Kosovo: Until 17 February 2008, when it declared independence, Kosovo was a province of Serbia – although it had been under UN administration and virtually autonomous since 1999. Kosovo has just over two million people – predominantly ethnic Albanian. Pristina is its largest city. Most of the data given below applies to Serbia including Kosovo. Area:34,116 square miles. Neighbouring countries: Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Hungary, Romania, Bulgaria, Macedonia, Albania and Montenegro. Environment:Serbia is landlocked. Its climate varies from continental in the north and Mediterranean in the south; and its terrain varies from rich, fertile...
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By Kristian Kahrs
April 2008
Serbia
Missionary Spotlight – Evangelicals in Serbia
Evangelicals in Serbia Serbia is one of the least evangelised countries in Europe. Although it is predominantly Serbian Orthodox, few have a personal relationship with the true God. However, there are some Serbs passionate to bring the gospel to their own people. One such is Samuil Petrovski, Vice President of the Serbian Evangelical Alliance and General Secretary of the Evangelical University Students (EUS) – the Serbian branch of the International Fellowship of Evangelical Students (IFES). Students Through the work of EUS, Samuil is influencing many students from different denominations for the gospel. Every autumn about 150 students come to the EUS...
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By Kristian Kahrs
April 2008
Serbia
Missionary Spotlight – Christianity in Serbia
Christianity in Serbia Serbia accepted Eastern Christianity in the 12th century AD for political reasons. The epic battle of Kosovo in 1389 influenced the spread of Christianity in the region – although the Serbs lost the battle, it slowed down Turkey’s attempts to islamise Europe. While the Ottoman Empire held sway (1300-1922), the Serbian Orthodox Church protected Serbian culture from Islam. However, some living in today’s Bosnia, Kosovo and Albania supported the Turks, and their communities are now primarily Muslim. Fifty years after the Protestant Reformation in Germany, the first Lutheran church was established in northern Serbia. Other Protestant missionaries arrived here...
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By Samuil Petrovski
April 2008
Serbia
Missionary Spotlight – Ministering to students in Serbia
Ministering to students in Serbia We are able to share the gospel of Jesus Christ with an increasing number of students. On 17-19 November 2007 we had the biggest ever attendance at an Evangelical University Students (EUS) conference, with 155 students registering from all over Serbia and Montenegro. For the second year we held it in the refreshing surroundings of Zlatibor, located in the mountains between Serbia and Montenegro. A team of twelve student leaders looked after the organisation. As they take on more responsibility, I am able to step back and take less. Our autumn conferences are shorter than the summer camps,...
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By Kieran Beville
April 2005
Serbia
Religious freedom in Serbia
Evangelical churches have existed in Serbia since the late nineteenth century. Baptists, for example, received legal recognition in 1905, in parts of the country; and, after the formation of the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenians in 1918, enjoyed legal recognition. After the Second World War the Communist government treated all those belonging to religious communities as second-class citizens. With the 1990s and the beginning of democracy, Evangelicals found themselves subjected to intense media hostility. Their properties became targets for attack by nationalistic organisations. They were frequently subjected to threatening behaviour. Many evangelical churches had windows smashed and walls daubed with offensive graffiti. In some...
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