Serbian Orthodox Church

Cardinal Ladislav Nemet says relations between the Catholic Church and the Serbian Orthodox Church have improved markedly in recent years. He also reflects on reconciliation in the Balkans, the dangers of hate speech and why the Church must avoid clericalisation Cardinal Ladislav Nemet has said relations between the Catholic Church and the Serbian Orthodox Church have entered a significantly more positive phase, while warning against clericalisation within the Church. In an interview with the Archdiocese of Belgrade’s internal news service, the Archbishop of Belgrade reflected on political tensions across the Balkans, the responsibilities of religious leaders and the dangers posed by nationalism and hate speech. He also argued that the Church must avoid clericalisation if it is to fulfil its mission faithfully. “I would say that the last five or six years have been good,” Cardinal Nemet said when asked about relations between Catholics and the Serbian Orthodox Church. “The coronavirus pandemic was a boundary that changed people and relationships to some extent. Shared suffering has helped us realise that we are closer to each other than some ideologies want to tell us.” The Cardinal suggested that the shared experience of the pandemic had cut across long-standing political and theological divisions, creating opportunities for cooperation that had previously been difficult to achieve. Rather than allowing religion to become another source of division, Cardinal Nemet argued that faith communities should draw upon what he described as religion’s original purpose: serving the common good. “We must not forget the power that lies in religion,” Cardinal Nemet said. “The original power of every religion is immense.” That influence, he continued, can either contribute to peace or be misused to deepen conflict. “This immense power can be used for good or for evil,” Cardinal Nemet said, adding that those entrusted with leading religious communities therefore bear “a huge responsibility”. The Cardinal argued that Catholics, Orthodox Christians, Protestants and Muslims each possess the capacity to influence society positively when they work together rather than against one another. Religious leaders, Cardinal Nemet said, should understand “how great the positive power of religions is when they unite and how much they can change the thinking of their followers and positively affect society”. The Archbishop also reflected on reconciliation in the Balkans, where the wars of the former Yugoslavia continue to shape political discourse more than three decades after the conflicts ended. Cardinal Nemet expressed concern that public debate remains rooted in hostility, warning that “hate speech is one of the greatest sources of all adversity”. If such language is “repeated enough”, he warned, “it becomes a reality, and this reality can later turn into actions that can be deadly”, recalling that “there has been a lot of bloodshed in this region in recent history”. Although acknowledging that relations between Croatia and Serbia have improved in some respects, Cardinal Nemet said reconciliation was progressing “too slowly”. Pointing to the example of France and Germany after the Second World War, he argued that “with good intentions and political action aimed at the common good, reconciliation is possible”. That common good, Cardinal Nemet added, must “promote not only the good of one’s own nation, but the good of the entire human family in this region”, with “much more” needing to be done “to strengthen friendly ties and bridges, and to reduce tensions that are always present and can very easily flare up again”. Outside of politics, Cardinal Nemet reflected on the wider contribution that religious dialogue can make in societies where different faith communities coexist. Referring to the Mediterranean Theological Meetings, he described the initiative as “an extremely positive” contribution at a time when religion has returned to global affairs with “enormous force”. While acknowledging that faith has not always been used positively, Cardinal Nemet insisted that “all religions can play an extremely important role in promoting a better and more humane life”, even though they can also become instruments for “wars, sowing hatred and excluding anyone who believes or thinks differently”. Participants often arrive at such gatherings with firmly established opinions, Cardinal Nemet acknowledged, observing that “everyone comes here with a certain attitude”. Nevertheless, he argued that “four days of being ‘bombarded’ with the idea of a possible civilisation of love or a civilisation of coexistence certainly changes both the young people and the lecturers”, demonstrating the value of sustained encounter and dialogue. The interview also addressed the relationship between religion and public life, with Cardinal Nemet warning against excessive clericalisation. Religious leaders, he argued, should recognise “areas in which they have no claim”. “If I am called to care for believers, my task is not to control their opinions or guide them at all costs,” Cardinal Nemet said. “I need to help them make independent decisions on their life path and to independently find the path to God.” “For me, clericalisation begins when I decide that my path is the only correct one. And it is not,” Cardinal Nemet continued. While describing religion as “one of the deepest feelings in man” and an important voice of conscience, he insisted that “religions cannot decide about life alone”. Science, politics and other aspects of society all have their legitimate place, while “religion can be the voice of conscience and say that something should be different, but it is not up to us to decide these things”. On episcopal leadership, Cardinal Nemet distinguished between constructive criticism and what he described as “blind criticism”. While some criticism helps identify “something I could have said, done or understood differently”, Cardinal Nemet said there are also attacks that arise “just because someone doesn’t like something, without a real and objective evaluation”. Even so, Cardinal Nemet insisted that the Church cannot retreat from its public mission. “We need to speak up,” he said, “but not to hurt or exclude, but to try to show how it could be different.” He linked that responsibility to the witness of the early Church, observing that “the first three centuries were a time of brave men and martyrs”, whose courage shaped Christianity’s development.