Christian Values in the Constitutions of Serbia and Greece
A Comparative Overview
Abstract
Christian values are the foundation of modern European societies. Suffice it to say that the most important European philosophers and cultural movements have originated from Christian environments. The constitutional history and tradition of the majority of the European countries are proof of the strong influence of Christianity and Christian churches on the creation and constitutional organisation of the modern European states. The subject matter of this work is a comparative analysis of the current Constitution of the Republic of Serbia and the Constitution of Greece, with the aim of identifying the Christian values comprised in their constitutional provisions. This work has two fundamental hypotheses. The first one is that the constitutions of both these countries comprise a substantial number of constitutional norms with Christian origins and foundations. The second hypothesis is that the Constitution of Greece comprises more provisions that demonstrate close connections between the state and Christianity. This is a consequence of the fact that in Greece, there have been no interruptions in the continuity of the constitutional tradition, unlike the case with Serbia during the communist rule.
References
Simović, D. (2020) 'O pravnoj prirodi preambule ustava' (The Legal Nature of the Preamble to the Constitution), Zbornik radova Pravnog fakulteta u Nišu, 2020/87, pp. 15-36; https://doi.org/10.5937/zrpfn0-25858.
Radovanović, S. (2020) 'Pravni značaj preambule (sa posebnim osvrtom na ustavnopravni značaj)' (Legal significance of the preamble (with special reference to the constitutional and legal significance), Megatrend revija 2020/2, pp. 95-108; https://doi.org/10.5937/MegRev2002095R.
Čizmar, V. (2010), 'Kosovski nihilizam i afirmacija života na ravni religioznoduhovnih vrednosti' (Kosovo's nihilism and affirmation of life from the level of religious-spiritual values), Baština, 2010/29, pp. 11-127.
Simović, D. (2020) 'Funkcije preambule ustava i osobenosti preambule Ustava Republike Srbije' (The Functions of the Preamble of the Constitution and the Characteristics of the Preamble of the Constitution of the Republic of Serbia), Zbornik radova Pravnog fakulteta u Novom Sadu, 54(1), pp. 173-194; https://doi.org/10.5937/zrpfns54-25886.
Kutlešić, V. (2010) 'Preambule ustava-Uporedna studija 194 važeća ustava' (Preamble to Constitution-A Comparative Study of 194 Preambles), Annals of the Faculty of Law in Belgrade (Belgrade Law Review), 58(2), pp. 60-76.
Bačić, A. (2013) 'Konstitucionalizam, historizam i postmodernizam' (Constitutionalism, Historism and Postmodernism), Zbornik radova Pravnog fakulteta u Splitu, 50(1), pp. 1-15.
Mrđenović, D. (1988) Ustavi i vlade Kneževine Srbije, Kraljevine Srbije, Kraljevine SHS i Kraljevine Jugoslavije (1835−1941). Beograd: Nova knjiga.
Πουλής, Γ. (1982) 'Τα συνταγαματκά πλαίσια των σχέσεων Κράτους και Εκκλησίας', Αρμενόπουλος, 1982/36, pp. 965-971.
Παπαστάθης, Χ. (2007) Εκκλησιαστικό δίκαιο. Αθήνα-Θεσσαλονίκη: Εκδόσεις Σάκκουλα.
Τρωιάνος, Σ. (1984) Παραδόσεις εκκλησιαστικού δικαίου. Αθήνα-Κομοτηνή: Εκδόσεις Σάκκουλα.
Τρωιάνος, Σ., Πουλής, Γ. (2003) Εκκλησιαστικό δίκαιο. Αθήνα-Κομοτηνή: Εκδόσεις Σάκκουλα.
Dunn, G., Hahn, J., Sommer S., Sweeney, M. (2010). 'Biblical Theology' in Ziolkowski, E. Walfish, B., Schröter, J., Römer T. C., Matz, B., LeMon J., Furey, C. (eds.), Encyclopedia of the Bible and its Reception: Athena - Birkat ha-Minim, Berlin-Boston: De Gruyter [Online]. Available at: https://www.degruyter.com/database/EBR/entry/ MainLemma_5657/html/ (Accessed: 27 September 2021).
Childs, B. (1993) Biblical Theology of the Old and New Testaments: Theological Reflection on the Christian Bible, Fortress Press: Minneapolis.
Baah-Odoom, D. (2016) 'The Importance of the Old Testament to the Christian Spirituality', The International Journal of Social Sciences and Humanities Invention, 2016/3, pp. 2414-2425.
Goldoni, M., Wilkinson, M. (2018), 'The Material Constitution', The Modern Law Review, 81(4), pp. 567-597; https://doi.org/10.1111/1468-2230.12352.
Νικόπουλος, Α. (2017) Το ειδικό καθεστώς του Αγίου Όρους και η συνταγματική έννοια των «Αγιορειτικών Καθεστώτων» [Συμβολή στην ερμηνεία του άρθρου 105 Συντ.]. Κατερίνη: Επέκταση.
Casanova, J. (2006) 'Religion, European secular identities, and European integration' in Byrnes, A. T., Katzenstein P. J. (eds) Religion in an Expanding Europe. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, pp. 65 - 92; https://doi.org/10.1017/CBO9780511491917.004.
Βενιζέλος, Ε. (2005) 'Το Ευρωπαϊκό Σύναγμα και το θρησκευτικό φαινόμενο', Νομοκανονικά, 2005/1, pp. 11-31.
Bulović, I. (2021) Još o "rodnoj ravnopravnosti", diskriminaciji i zakonima koji se na njih odnose (Additionally on "gender equality", discrimination and the laws that apply to them) [Online]. Available at: http://spc.rs/sr/episkop_bachki_irinej_zhivi_jezik_ zhivog_naroda_nadzhivetshe_dekrete/ (Accessed: 27 September 2021).
Bailey, J. A. (1970) 'Initiation and the Primal Woman in Gilgamesh and Genesis 2-3', Journal of Biblical Literature, 89(2), 137-150; https://doi.org/10.2307/3263044.
Devrnja, Z. (2014) Teološka analiza pojma ljudskih prava i njihova recepcija u hrišćanskoj Crkvi (Theological Analysis of the Notion of Human Rights and their Reception in the Christian Church), Belgrade: Unpublished doctoral dissertation.
The Russian Orthodox Church's Basic Teaching on Human Dignity, Freedom and Rights, [Online]. Available at: https://old.mospat.ru/en/documents/dignity-freedom-rights/ iv (Accessed: 27 September 2021).
Božović, N. (2020) 'Biblija i ljudska prava' in Božović, N., Tatalović, V. (eds.) Evropa i hrišćanske vrednosti-Putevi biblijske recepcije. Beograd: Biblijski institut, Fondacija Konrad Adenauer, pp. 51-71.
Aničić, S. (2015) 'Hrišćanske percepcije pojma i svrhe braka po učenju Pravoslavne crkve: prilog diskusiji o redefinisanju tradicionalnog braka' (Orthodox Christian Perceptions of the Notion and Purpose of Marriage: Contribution to the Discussion on Redefining Traditional Marriage), Srpska pravna misao, 48(1), pp. 93-113.
Bračna pravila Srpske pravoslavne crkve (Marital Rules of the Serbian Orthodox Church), Glasnik- Official Gazette of the Serbian Orthodox Patriarchate, No. 34-35/1933.
Constitution of the Republic of Serbia, Official Gazette of the Republic of Serbia, No. 98/2006.
Marković, R. (2006) 'Ustav Republike Srbije iz 2006 - Kritički pogled' (2006 Constitution of the Republic of Serbia - A Critical Appraisal), Annals of the Faculty of Law in Belgrade (Belgrade Law Review), 54(2), pp. 5-46.
Official Government Gazette of the Hellenic Republic, No. A' 211/24.12.2019.
Συνταγματική Ιστορία [Online]. Available at: https://www.hellenicparliament.gr/ Vouli-ton-Ellinon/To-Politevma/Syntagmatiki-Istoria/ (Accessed: 27 September 2021).
Παπαδοπούλου, Λ. (2015) Συνταγματικό Δίκαιο, [Online]. Available at: file:///C:/Users/ User/Downloads/00_master_document.pdf/ (Accessed: 27 September 2021).
Papastahis, Ch. and Maghioros, N. (2015) 'Greece: A Faithful Orthodox Christian State, The Orthodox Church in the Hellenic Republic' in Donlu T. (ed.) Religion and the secular state: National Reports. Madrid: Servicio de Publicaciones Facultad de Derecho Universidad Complutense de Madrid, pp. 341-382.
Mikić, V. (2014) 'Funkcije preambula savremenih ustava' (Functions of the preambles of modern constitutions), Pravni zapisi, 5(2), pp. 432-447; https://doi.org/10.5937/pravzap0-7011.
Βουλή, (1975) Πρακτικά των συνεδριάσεων των υποεπιτροπών της επι του Συντάγματος 1975 Κοινοβουλευτικής Επιτροπής. Αθήναι: Εκ του Εθνικού Τυπογραφείου.
Κυριαζόπουλος, Κ. (1999) Περιορισμοί στην ελευθερία διδασκαλίας των μειονοτικών θρησκευμάτων. Θεσσαλονίκη: Σάκκουλας.
Τσάτσος, Δ. (1993) Συνταγματικό δίκαιο. Αθήνα: Εκδόσεις Αντ. Ν. Σάκκουλα.
Κονιδάρης, Ι. (2000) Εγχειρίδιο εκκλησιαστικού δικαίου. Αθήνα-Κομοτηνή: Σάκκουλας.
Law on Organization of the Legal Form of Religious Communities and their organizations in Greece, Official Government Gazette of the Hellenic Republic, No. Α' 223/07.10.2014.
Đurić, V. (2013) 'Zakonsko uređivanje pravnog položaja crkava i verskih zajednica u Republici Srbiji: od osporavanja do unapređivanja' (Legalislative framing of the Legal Position of Churches and Religious Communities in the Republic of Serbia: From Opposing to Improvement), Sveske za javno pravo, 2013/4, pp. 43-55.
Draškić, M. (2013) 'Ustav Srbije: Striktna ili kooperativna odvojenost crkve i države?' (Constitution of Serbia: Strict or cooperative separation of church and state?), Sveske za javno pravo, 2013/4, pp. 37-46.
Marinković, T. (2011) 'Prilog za javnu raspravu o ustavnosti Zakona o crkvama i verskim zajednicama' (Contribution to the Public Debate on the Constitutionality of the Act on Churches and Religious Communities of the Republic of Serbia), Annals of the Faculty of Law in Belgrade (Belgrade Law Review), 59(2), pp. 367-385.
Milošević, S. (2020) 'Hod po žici - o ustavnosti ograničenja slobode veroispovesti u vanrednom stanju proglašenom u Srbiji usled epidemije bolesti Covid-19' (Walking a Tightrope: On the Constitutionality of Limiting Freedom of Worship Under the State of Emergency Declared in the Republic of Serbia Caused by the Epidemic of Covid-19), Pravni zapisi, 11(1), pp. 173-203; https://doi.org/10.5937/pravzap0-26626.
Đurić, V., Trnavac, M. (2018) 'Privredna delatnost crkava i verskih zajednica' (The Economic Activity of Churches and Religious Communities), Strani pravni život, 2018/3, pp. 89-107; https://doi.org/10.5937/spz1803089D.
Avramović, S. (2011) 'Poimanje sekularnosti u Srbiji - refleksije sa javne rasprave u Ustavnom sudu (Understanding Secularity in Serbia - Reflections on Public Hearing in the Constitutional Court)', Annals of the Faculty of Law in Belgrade (Belgrade Law Review), 2011/2, pp. 279-301.
Rajić Ćalić, J. (2019) 'Sloboda veroispovesti i autonomija crkve u radnim odnosima svetovnih lica' (Freedom of Religion and Autonomy of Church in Working Non Religious Workers) in Čolović, V., Džomić, V., Đurić, V., Stanić, M. (eds) Državno- crkveno pravo kroz vekove. Beograd - Budva: Institut za uporedno pravo, Pravoslavna Mitropolija Crnogorsko-primorska, IIU "Svetigora", pp. 741-752.
Decisions of the Constitutional Court of the Republic of Serbia: IUz- 455/2011 and IUo-175/2012, Official Gazette of the Republic of Serbia, No. 23/2013.
Ustav Federativne Narodne Republike Jugoslavije (The Constitution of the Federal People's Republic of Yugoslavia), Službeni list Federativne Narodne Republike Jugoslavije (Official Gazette of the Federal People's Republic of Yugoslavia), No. 10/1946.
Troicki, S. (2011) Crkveno pravo. Beograd: Pravni fakultet Univerziteta u Beogradu.
Radulović, M. (2014) Obnova srpskog državno-crkvenog prava (Renewal of Serbian Statechurch Law). Beograd: Konrad Adenauer Stiftung.
Lutheran World Federation, The Theological Basis of Human Rights [Online]. Available at: http://www.reformiert-online.net/t/eng/rwb/tdthestu.jsp#3 (Accessed: 27 September 2021).
Pontifical Commission 'Iustitia et Pax' (2011) The Church and Human Rights [Online]. Available at: http://www.clerus.org/clerus/dati/2011-07/23-13/The_Church_and_ Human_Rights.pdf (Accessed: 27 September 2021).
Sajó, A. (2008) "Preliminaries to a concept of constitutional secularism", International Journal of Constitutional Law, 6(3-4), pp. 605-629; https://doi.org/10.1093/icon/mon018.