15 Questions on Faith

1. Entity type Lemma
2. Original title15 pitanja o veri
3. Language term Serbian
4. Alternative title Interview with academician Vladeta Jerotic (en)
5. lemma author Stevanovic, Aleksandra
6. lemma category Key thinkers - Various approaches to the problem of correlation between science and theology
7. Publication date 14-11-2016
8. lemma work Mijatovic, Nada [Interviewer]. 15 Questions to professor Vladeta Jerotic, neuropsychiatrist
9. lemma manifestations Viva
10. Keywords
    1. Jerotic, Vladeta
11. Keywords deification - Orthodoxy prohibition
12. Url 13/11/2016
13. Lemma body

    1. In the interview for the magazine “Vivа”, in 1998, famous neuropsychiatrist Vladeta Jerotic answers the questions related to faith. First of all, the dialogue stems around the fact that Christianity was prohibited for a period of more than four decades, where the interviewer inquires whether such prohibition on faith left consequences or not. Academician Jerotic acknowledges its serious impact on people; however, he reminds that Christianity has a two-millenia tradition, therefore, spiritual changes are possible. In addition, when asked about the opinion on Religious Education incorporation into schools, he reckons it as a proper action and comments that Church has to provide students with good, different level textbooks and valuable religion teachers. Jerotic believes that faith stems both from mind and heart and says that such path to Christian faith Jung names “individuation“ while in religious sense, it is called “deification“.

       The interviewer then asks a question about science–religion relation, on which the interviewee replies saying that their relation can be traced since the time immemorial. Science and religion complement each other in their attempt to explain diverse phenomena. Cognition is the aim of both.  

       As a neuropsychiatrist, Jerotic mentions that religious belief helps an individual during some hardship, religion even helps prevent people from commiting suicide. In that sense, nowadays, people increasingly turn to religion. Thereby, in this chaotic time, Orthodoxy gains chance to revive the sometimes fallen spirit of Serbs, but other nations as well.

       One of the most intriguing question relates to killing in the name of Church, on which the academician answers that ideal Church cannot be expected since we are earthly beings and it would actually imply the beginning of heavenly kingdom realization on Earth, which has never been mentioned not promised by Christ. He concludes that the revolution and fight should be within any human being; inner, not external. Moreover, knowing one’s religion thoroughly is of great importance and readiness for tolerance and dialogue thereby should be achieved.

       The interview with noted academician Vladeta Jerotic is vital for the science–religion relationship and dialogue due to the fact that he is a prominent author whose books are very popular among people and that he is a doctor, but also a Christian thinker and professor at the Faculty of Orthodox Theology at University of Belgrade; hence, the one who can undertand both ways – the way of science and the way of religion.