Slovene in United States


Population
Main Language
Largest Religion
Christian
Evangelical
Progress
Progress Gauge

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.


Scripture Prayers for the Slovene in United States.


References

operationworld.org/locations/slovenia/
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Slovenia
https://www.gov.si/en/representations/consulate-general-cleveland/slovenian-community-in-usa/
https://www.everyculture.com/multi/Pa-Sp/Slovenian-Americans.html
http://www.theslovenian.com/articles/klemencic4.htm
https://case.edu/ech/articles/p/progressive-slovene-women-america
https://si.usembassy.gov/opening-of-the-exhibit-slovenians-in-the-united-states-today-video/


Profile Source:   Joshua Project  

People Name General Slovene
People Name in Country Slovene
Pronunciation SLOW-veen
Alternate Names Prekmurian
Population this Country 8,900
Population all Countries 1,971,000
Total Countries 16
Indigenous No
Progress Scale 3
Unreached No
Frontier People Group No
GSEC 1  (per PeopleGroups.org)
Pioneer Workers Needed
People ID 14964
ROP3 Code 109357
ROP25 Code 307596
ROP25 Name Slovene
Country United States
Region America, North and Caribbean
Continent North America
10/40 Window No
National Bible Society Website
Persecution Rank Not ranked
Location in Country Bethlehem, PA, Cleveland   Source:  Ethnologue 2010
Country United States
Region America, North and Caribbean
Continent North America
10/40 Window No
National Bible Society Website
Persecution Rank Not ranked
Location in Country Bethlehem, PA, Cleveland.   Source:  Ethnologue 2010

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Primary Religion: Christianity
Major Religion Percent
Buddhism
0.00 %
Christianity  (Evangelical 0.10 %)
54.00 %
Ethnic Religions
0.00 %
Hinduism
0.00 %
Islam
0.00 %
Non-Religious
46.00 %
Other / Small
0.00 %
Unknown
0.00 %
Primary Language Slovene (8,900 speakers)
Language Code slv   Ethnologue Listing
Language Written Yes   ScriptSource Listing
Total Languages 1
Primary Language Slovene (8,900 speakers)
Language Code slv   Ethnologue Listing
Total Languages 1
People Groups Speaking Slovene

Primary Language:  Slovene

Bible Translation Status  (Years)
Bible-Portions Yes  (1555-1993)
Bible-New Testament Yes  (1577-1985)
Bible-Complete Yes  (1584-2017)
FCBH NT (www.bible.is) Online
YouVersion NT (www.bible.com) Online
Possible Print Bibles
Amazon
World Bibles
Forum Bible Agencies
National Bible Societies
World Bible Finder
Virtual Storehouse
Resource Type Resource Name Source
Audio Recordings Audio Bible teaching Global Recordings Network
Audio Recordings Story of Jesus audio Jesus Film Project
Film / Video Jesus Film: view in Slovene Jesus Film Project
Film / Video LUMO film of Gospels Bible Media Group/LUMO
Film / Video Story of Jesus for Children Jesus Film Project
Film / Video World Christian Videos World Christian Videos
General Bible for Children Bible for Children
General Biblical answers to your questions Got Questions Ministry
General Faith Comes By Hearing - Bible in text or audio or video Faith Comes by Hearing
General Four Spiritual Laws Campus Crusade for Christ
General Gospel resources links Scripture Earth
General YouVersion Bible versions in text and/or audio YouVersion Bibles
General Zume Resources Zume Project
General Zume Training Zume Project
Mobile App Android Bible app: Slovene YouVersion Bibles
Mobile App Download audio Bible app as APK file Faith Comes by Hearing
Mobile App iOS Bible app: Slovene YouVersion Bibles
Text / Printed Matter Cartoon Gospel tract General / Other
Text / Printed Matter Love letter to you from scripture Father's Love Letter
Text / Printed Matter Tools for faith conversations Campus Crusade for Christ
Text / Printed Matter Topical Scripture booklets and Bible studies World Missionary Press
Photo Source Miran Lesnik - Pixabay 
Profile Source Joshua Project 
Data Sources Data is compiled from various sources. Learn more.



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