Náboženská komunikácia vojvodinských Slovákov

Characteristics of Religious Communication among Slovak Minority in Vojvodina

This paper explores the phenomenon of religious communication within the Slovak minority community in Vojvodina, where the Slovak minority has lived for centuries in enclaves that have preserved their customs, traditions, religion, language, and culture. It presents the historical development of the Slovaks in Vojvodina, their denominational affiliation and organisation of church life, as well as the specifics of their language and linguistic competencies. The starting point is an analysis of the means by which religious messages are disseminated and received within the community, with special attention given to the linguistic particularities of this minority. The paper examines the particularities of oral, written (non-institutional), media, and digital forms of religious communication, which connect religious tradition with the broader ethnic, cultural, and linguistic context of Vojvodina. The objective of the paper is to identify the dominant forms of communication and their interrelation with both traditional and contemporary media. The study also examines the role of clergy in the process of shaping religious discourse, as well as the transformations brought about by technological development. Among the verbal forms, the paper primarily focuses on the Bible, religious press, radio broadcasts, as well as other activities such as altar groups, Sunday schools, gatherings, etc. An important theme of the paper is the connection between religious and national identity – one of the key specific features of religious communication among Slovaks in Vojvodina. This interconnectedness contributes to the preservation of Slovak identity and has a significant role in identity formation.