Separation of church and state

The separation of church and state is a concept and philosophy in modern thought and practice, whereby the structures of state or national government are proposed as needing to be separate from those of religious institutions. The concept has long been a topic of political debate throughout history. The term "church" in Western civilization is usually associated with Christianity. However, the phrase as a whole refers to religion and religious institutions in general and its/their relationship to government. In countries where other religions are dominant, the words mosque, temple, or synagogue are often substituted.

Countries with state churches

Finland

The Evangelical Lutheran Church of Finland and the Finnish Orthodox Church have a status protected by law. Both churches have the right to levy an income tax on their members and corporations run by their members, and the tax is collected by the state. The administration of the state churches is regulated by their respective church laws, which are drafted by the churches and enacted by the parliament. State universities provide training for the clergy of the state churches. The general direction has been to restrict and remove the privileges of the state churches, and as of 2004, in most other official business (such as officiating marriages) any registered religious community has a status comparable to that of the state churches.

Related Topics:
Evangelical Lutheran Church of Finland - Finnish Orthodox Church

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Norway

In Norway, the Evangelical-Lutheran Church of Norway has been part of the state administration since 1537. Only since 1843 have other religious communities been allowed to operate in Norway. Today, the Church of Norway still is fully financed by the Norwegian state, and bishops are appointed by the government. The conservative government tend to appoint conservative clerics, whereas social-democratic governments tend to appoint bishops that are liberal on issues like homosexuality, women issues and family issues. Half the government, and certainly the church minister have to be a member of the church. The king is the formal head of the church, meaning the royal family has no religious freedom.

Related Topics:
Evangelical-Lutheran - Church of Norway - 1537 - 1843

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Ministers are appointed by the local bishop, in co-operation with the local church council. The ministers' salaries are paid for by the local municipality, that is also responsible for building and maintaining churches.

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Until 1999, everyone was born into the Church of Norway, meaning that everyone not a member of another religious community would be considered a member of the Church of Norway. However, now there is a membership list.

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Other religious communities receive a per capita compensation from the state to make up for the financial privileges of the Church of Norway. There are no restrictions on the work of any religious community, and other religions are free to prozelytize.

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United Kingdom

In the United Kingdom, there are two state-approved churches. The Church of Scotland is Presbyterian while the Church of England is Anglican. The former is a national church guaranteed by law to be separate from the state, while the latter is a state-established church and any major changes to doctrine, liturgy or structure must have parliamentary approval. Neither Wales nor Northern Ireland currently have established churches: the Church in Wales was disestablished in 1920; the Church of Ireland in 1871. The king or queen must promise to uphold the rights of the Presbyterian church in Scotland and the Anglican church in England. He or she is the Supreme Governor of the Church of England, holding the title of Defender of the Faith, but an ordinary member of the Church of Scotland. Neither church receives direct funding from taxation. State schools must provide religious instruction and regular religious ceremonies, though parents may withdraw their children from either; the choice of religion left up to the school governors, but in the absence of an explicit choice it is by default "broadly Christian"; the Church of England and the Roman Catholic Church operate many state-funded schools and there are a small number of Jewish and Muslim ones. Senior Church of England bishops have a right to sit in the House of Lords, the upper chamber of the Parliament of the United Kingdom.

Related Topics:
Church of Scotland - Presbyterian - Church of England - Anglican - State-established - Wales - Northern Ireland - Church in Wales - 1920 - Church of Ireland - 1871 - Scotland - England - Supreme Governor of the Church of England - Defender of the Faith - Roman Catholic - Jew - Muslim - Bishop - House of Lords - Parliament of the United Kingdom

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Greece

Greece is the only European Union (EU) country to ban proselytism in its constitution, and the only EU country to have been condemned by the European Court of Human Rights for a lack of religious freedom. The position of the Church of Greece and its relations with the State are set forth in Article 3, par. 1 of the present Constitution (1975/1986/2001). According to this article: (a) The Greek-Orthodox dogma is the prevailing religion, (b) The Church of Greece is inseparably united in doctrine with the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople and with all other Orthodox Churches, and (c) The Church is self-administered and autocephalous.

Related Topics:
Proselytism - European Court of Human Rights - Church of Greece - 1975 - 1986 - 2001 - Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople - Autocephalous

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The Government, under the direction of the Ministry of Education and Religion, provides some financial support by, for example, paying for the salaries and religious training of clergy, and financing the maintenance of Orthodox Church buildings. This special relation between the Greek State and the Orthodox Church has come about for historical reasons and long-established tradition, many Greeks attributing the preservation of Greek national identity during the 400 years of Ottoman occupation to the Orthodox Church. A separation of Church and State would require an amendment of the Constitution.

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See GREECE: Religious freedom, the Achilles' Heel

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Denmark