Slovenia

Slovenia is a relatively small country (20,300 square kilometers, 2.1 million inhabitants) in the Balkan Peninsula in southeastern Europe. Once a part of Yugoslavia, it is now independent and a member of the European Union. Its capital city is Ljubljana (280,000 inhabitants). The majority of the population is Slovenian (more than 80%) and from other Slavonic nations (Croatians and Serbians). There are also important minorities, Italians and Germans, in Slovenia. Given its location on the edge of the Balkan Peninsula, Slovenia has in the course of its history been influenced by many cultures and religions (Catholicism, Orthodox religion, and Islam). Slovenia was a part of the Habsburg Monarchy (since the 14th century). Due to the religious circumstances under Habsburg rule, the most important religion was and still remains Catholicism (about 58% of population). Ljublajana, the capital, is the center of Catholicism in the region, and since 1961, it has also been the seat of the Roman Catholic Metropolitan Archdiocese. Other dioceses include the towns of Koper and Novo Mesto.

Between 1918 and 1991, Slovenia was a part of Yugoslavia. It was decidedly the most developed and the most modernized region of this former Communist state. Being a part of Yugoslavia greatly influenced the religious map of Slovenia. Alongside traditional Catholicism, other religious traditions arose, especially the Orthodox Church and Islam. According to the last census of 2002, about 2.3% of people declare themselves to be Orthodox, and 2.4% of the population are Muslims. These two religions are represented mostly in the capital city (5.5% Orthodox Christians and 5.4% Muslims). The civil war in former Yugoslavia affected Slovenia only marginally but it was the cause of increased migration from other parts of Yugoslavia and led to the growth of some religious groups, above all Islam.

Compared to other parts of former Yugoslavia, in Slovenia, there is a large number of people who are not affiliated with a religion but have some religious beliefs (about 4%). Also, the number of people who declare themselves as unbelievers or atheists is relatively high (more than 10%). Nontraditional and new religious movements are also very active in Slovenia. These groups had great difficulty in being recognized during the last decade of the 20th century. The current situation is better, but there is still much tension between these groups and the rest of society. Around 38 other religious communities, spiritual groups, societies, and associations were registered in Slovenia in 2010. In the past 10 years, the number of people sympathetic to New Age ideas has also increased. In this context, the former president of Slovenia, Janez Drnovšek (1950–2008), is an important figure as he became the supporter of ideas connected with New Age phenomena during the last years of his life. He is the author of several books with spiritual content—for example, Thoughts on Life and Consciousness (2006), Golden Thoughts on Life and Consciousness (2006), and The Essence of the World (2006).