Slovene in United States

Introduction / History

The country we now call Slovenia is located in Central Europe. It is about the physical size of the US state of New Jersey. The large majority of the people who live in Slovenia called themselves Slovenes or Slovenians. Slovenian is a South Slavic language. While Slovene is the national language of Slovenia, that country also recognizes Italian and Hungarian as regional languages.
What we now call Slovenia has been dominated by various empires throughout its history. At one time the Roman, Byzantine, Holy Roman, Venetian, Hungarian, and Austrian Empires ruled this mountainous land on the Adriatic Sea. After WWII, Slovenia became one of the six republics of Yugoslavia. Slovenia became a separate nation in 1991. Slovenia has a highly developed economy. Slovenia has the highest Human Development Index of the six former Yugoslav republics.
The Slovene language has many Christian resources including a complete Bible and radio programs. At the turn of the 20th century, hundreds of thousands of Slovenes left their land looking for better economic opportunities. Slovenians live in many nations besides Slovenia. These include Germany, Austria, Croatia, the Netherlands, Canada, Argentina, the UK, and the USA.
There was a wave of Sloven immigrants to the US in the late 19th century and early 20th century. These people often came from neighboring Austria and were mistaken for German-Austrians. There was a lot of anti-Slavic feeling in the US at that time, so Slovenes sometimes had to distance themselves from their Slavic roots. They usually took on low-paying blue collar jobs and established self-help organizations. Others moved into skilled blue collar positions in the auto industry or as hat makers. Men came first and eventually sent for their wives and girlfriends starting in the 1890s. Slovene men developed leadership skills in their ethnic neighborhoods that helped some to become leaders in municipal governments.
After WWII, communism took over the Slovene homeland and made it part of Yugoslavia. The caused a smaller number of Slovenes to leave for America.
Most Slovens live in these six states: Ohio, Pennsylvania, Illinois, Minnesota, Wisconsin, and California. In the Rust Belt states, Slovenes have moved from the inner cities to the suburbs. The best known Slovene-American is Melania Trump, former first lady.

What Are Their Lives Like?

Slovenes were quick to learn English and buy homes so they could enjoy the prosperity they found in America. In general, Slovenes are integrated into mainline American culture. However, there are Slovene cultural centers, associations, and Slovene-based Catholic churches that preserve their ethnic identity. They also have several newspapers, magazines and radio broadcasts in the Slovene language. Some Slovenes send their children to weekend schools to learn the language and culture of the old country. There is an interest in learning the ways of Slovenia among America's younger Slovenes. Everyone loves ethnic dishes, especially when they are part of celebrations and Slovene holidays.
Slovene families keep some elements of their traditional weddings, but they have added wedding showers, an American custom. Their families frown upon divorce; divorce is less common when Slovenes marry other Slovenes.
Slovenes have been academics, engineers, architects and businessmen in their new homeland. Others excel in the arts and sports. Like their great grandparents, modern Slovenes often run for public office.

What Are Their Beliefs?

The majority of Slovens claim to be Christians. Of those, Roman Catholics are by far the major group. For most Slovenians, their Catholic faith is more a tradition than a living relationship with God. Slovenes are married and buried in the church. They children are baptized into the church by Roman Catholic priests. Most Slovenes are more concerned with their family's economic and social well-being rather than the teachings of the Roman Catholic church.
Evangelical Christians believe the Bible is the only source of authority for Christ's church. Roman Catholics see tradition and the official teachings of the popes and bishops as also being important. Evangelicals believe one is saved by God's grace alone through faith while Roman Catholics believe in salvation by faith in Christ and one's works. Still evangelicals and Catholics have many beliefs in common such as the beliefs in the Trinity and the virgin birth, the deity, and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

What Are Their Needs?

Roman Catholic Slovenes need to hear and understand the biblical gospel. Through Jesus Christ one can gain a personal, love relationship with God. Christianity is more than one's tradition or a system of morality. A Slovene's economic success will not satisfy the deep spirituals needs of his or her heart.

Prayer Points

Pray for the Holy Spirit to revive the Roman Catholic Church in the United States so that it focuses on Jesus Christ.
Pray for small number of Slovenian Protestant churches to be Christ centered rather than tradition centered.
Pray that the Lord sends disciple-makers to the Slovenian people in the United States and other nations.
Pray for spiritual hunger and a discernment that will keep the Slovenian people in the United States away from spiritual counterfeits.

Text Source:   Joshua Project