Katsikas, Stefanos (2026) Muslim Conversions to Eastern Orthodox Christianity in the Modern Balkans. In: Conversions in Central and Eastern Europe The Politics of Religion and Nonreligion across the 20th Century. Routledge, London, 14 pages. ISBN 9781003714132
Full text not available from this repository.Abstract
Despite extensive focus on Ottoman-era Islamization, the reverse phenomenon – Christianization of Muslims in the age of nationalism – remains largely overlooked. This chapter addresses this gap by examining the conversions of Muslims to Christian Orthodoxy in the modern Balkans during the 19th and early 20th centuries. Challenging nationalist historiographies that depict conversions as either forced Islamization or heroic re-Christianization, it offers a nuanced analysis of the motives, mechanisms, and meanings behind religious change. Drawing on archival sources – memoranda, legal documents, and case studies – the study reveals a spectrum of experiences, from spiritual transformation to pragmatic decisions related to social mobility, legal protection, or familial integration. It situates these dynamics within broader processes of nationalism, identity formation, and state-building, as religious affiliation has increasingly come to signify national belonging. The chapter focuses particularly on the Greek War of Independence but also problematizes the conversions in Serbia, Romania, and Bulgaria, where the Pomaks were forcibly Christianized during the Balkan Wars and during the Communists’ assimilation campaigns. The chapter highlights the fluidity of religious and national identities in the post-Ottoman Balkans and shows the complex interplay between individual agency and structural power during a pivotal period of transformation.
| Item Type: | Book Section |
|---|---|
| Uncontrolled Keywords: | Greek War of Independence, assimilation, Ottoman-era, religious change |
| Subjects: | B Mission theology/theory > Conversion F Interreligious Dialogue and Witness G Christian traditions/Denominations > Eastern Orthodox |
| Divisions: | Balkan countries |
| Depositing User: | Katharina Penner |
| Date Deposited: | 08 Jun 2026 17:33 |
| Last Modified: | 08 Jun 2026 17:33 |
| URI: | https://ceamol.osims.org/id/eprint/3301 |
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