Pluralism of religions in contemporary Croatian society

Pluralism of Religions in Contemporary Croatian Society center dot Historically and today, the Croatian society is characterized by multiculturality and religious diversity. Christianity, Islam and Judaism which are traditional, historic and already established religions coexist over the centuries. Some indications of religious pluralism in Croatian society appeared in the 1960s after the Second Vatican Council and after the establishment of Church-State relations between the former Yugoslavia and Vatican. During this period some new religious and ecclesial movements were born in the secularized Croatian society. Religious pluralism in contemporary Croatian society is more evident after democratic changes in the nineties. According to the socioreligious researches in Croatia, results show how religion (above all Catholic Church) has a considerable impact on Croatian society and that during the nineties there has been a revitalization of religion. Significant amount of religiousness of Croatian people relates to the revitalization of religion. In the democratic society which is based on the market economy, modernisation, secularisation, neoliberalism and relativism, new organisations of civil society and new religious movements are established. Phenomenology of that religious pluralism is marked with strengthened activities of non-Christian followers, new eastern and western religious movements and is being even more extended with religions of the immigrants who are arriving in Croatia. Therefore, this article deals with a brief phenomenology of religious pluralism in Croatian society from the second half of the 20th and the beginning of the 21st century. Firstly, there is a discussion of religious pluralism as a social fact and religious pluralism in the Croatian society in the former Yugoslavia, then of religious pluralism in the period of democratic change and transition of the Croatian society. Finally, this article concludes about religious pluralism in the contemporary Croatian society with its new perspectives.