Zoran Krstić
The process of secularization is a phenomenon associated with the Christian, European societies during the last few centuries. It could be taken in various ways and therefore has different expressions and consequences. One of the expressions that is being emphasized in this work is breaking up the everyday’s life ethos from the Christian, church ethos. Thus Christians themselves become the vehicles in the process of secularization conveying it into the church life. The author recognizes the elements of the church life secularization in certain decrees of the current Serbian Orthodox Church Constitution. It foremost referes to the institution of the church council (commettee), alien to the canonical tradition, set first in the Metropolitan’s diocese of Sremski Karlovci and later appeared in the Constitution of 1931. It was an attempet, unsuccesseful as it seems, to get laymen broadly involved in church life on the ground of personal, natural abilities and knowledge, but not upon the gifts of the Holy Spirit.
Key Words: secularization, participation in church life, the Serbian Orthodox Church Constitution, church council, Metropolitan’s diocese of Sremski Karlovci, canonical tradition, administration.