Vukašin Milićević:
From Deaconess to Matriarch – a (Im)possible (R)evolution or Orthodox Feminism

Celebrating 15 Years of the Center for Queer Studies

Venue: Institute for Philosophy and Social Theory (ifdt.bg.ac.rs)
Kraljice Natalije 45, 4th Floor
Thursday, November 27
from 6 to 8 p.m.

At the beginning of September 2025, the Center for Queer Studies organized a lecture dedicated to the roles of women in the Orthodox and broader Christian church, intended to reconsider the (im)possibilities of women’s participation in Orthodox liturgy from both historical and contemporary perspectives, with an eye toward the future. However, it turned out that for the Serbian Orthodox Church this is a taboo topic, deliberately swept under the rug with (unconvincing) theological mystifications, while in Protestantism women are welcomed, and in Catholicism not yet, though there is awareness of the issue. It also became clear that this question is more sociological and political than theological in nature.

Therefore, the Center for Queer Studies, in cooperation with the Institute for Philosophy and Social Theory, is organizing the lecture "From Deaconess to Matriarch – a (Im)possible (R)evolution or Orthodox Feminism" to address the same issue. The lecture will discuss arguments for and against women’s priesthood in Orthodoxy, the (im)possibility of creating Orthodox feminism, the historical role of women in Christianity, as well as potential political, sociological, and cultural changes in our society that equal participation of women in the church could bring. The purpose of the lecture is to consider a different, nonconformist version of Orthodoxy, free of provincialism, nationalism, and misogyny, whose spirit does not manifest in serving petty, everyday politics and the current autocratic regime.

Lecturer:
Vukašin Milićević, born in 1982 in Belgrade. Doctor of Theology, MA in Byzantine History. Until 2024, assistant professor at the Faculty of Orthodox Theology, where he taught Christian Ethics. Current title: Research Associate in Philosophy. Focus of interest: history of dogma (Christian doctrine), political history of Christianity, religion and politics in the contemporary context.

Moderation:
Dušica Popović, Dušan Maljković, Center for Queer Studies (querr.me)

After the presentation and discussion, we will celebrate 15 years of the Center for Queer Studies with drinks and refreshments!
Welcome, everyone!

Support: Heinrich Böll Foundation in Belgrade (rs.boell.org)