The Theology of Ethnocultural Empathic Turn: Getting to the Core of Sacralized Crime

The Theology of Ethnocultural Empathic Turn: Getting to the Core of Sacralized Crime delves into the roots of ethnoreligious tensions in the former Yugoslav territories and it provides a comprehensive understanding of this specific politico-religious issue, exposing how the sacralization of ethnonational mythology influences present-day conflicts. Through meticulous analysis, the author examines the intertwining of (ethno)totalitarianism and (ethno)clericalism in mentioned areas. Transitioning from historical analysis to proposing a solution, the author advocates for an ＂ethnocultural empathy turn,＂ integrating ethnocultural empathy as a branch of social psychology with the example of Jesus’s turn in Matthew 15:21-28. This book contributes significantly to developing the first Balkan contextual theology, drawing upon new political theology and theologies of liberation.

Branko Sekulic is lecturer at the University Center for Protestant Theology ＂Matthias Flacius Illyricus＂ in Zagreb and president of the Institute for Theology and Politics.