BALKANS – THE BRIDGE OF MONOTHEISTIC RELIGIONS

When analyzing any society, regardless of time and space, religion, identity, and politics are always relevant. Religion completes identity by giving it that sense of life (here and after) that connects man, con- stantly, with the Absolute, i.e. with God: religion and identity then become an important binomial which in every single act and event suggests a meaning which transcends them. Abrahamic religions, as the three largest monotheistic religions, should facilitate encounters between the faithful, rather than foment a cultural clash aided by ig- norance and intolerance. World politics suggests that the problem of intolerance is particularly pronounced in relation to monotheistic re- ligions, namely, Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. Structural antago- nism and hostility to other traditions represent a breeding ground for unrest and extremism, which cannot go unpunished if we want to live in a peaceful society. Is religion one of the main causes of war? Or is it simply a means for inciting troops to attack, divide societies and plunder countries? The original cause of any war or conflict is complex and nuanced, and many factors are often at stake, including power, politics, ideology, money, territory, and identity. The mixture of religion and politics was, historically speaking, “very dangerous”, as is evidenced by medieval examples such as the Crusades, and to- day, history repeats itself, as demonstrated by the situations concern- ing Israel, Palestine, the Balkans and the Islamic State. This paper will seek to provide a better understanding of the identities and poli- tics of the Abrahamic religions in the Balkans, including their points of convergence and divergence.