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State religion

Article Discussion

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A state religion (also called official religion) is a religion or creed officially endorsed by a sovereign state. A state with an official religion (also known as confessional state), while not a secular state, is not necessarily a theocracy. State religions are official or government-sanctioned establishments of a religion, where public spending on the maintenance of church property and clergy is unrestricted, but the state does not need to be under the legislative control of the clergy as it would be in a theocracy.

Official religions have been known throughout human history in almost all types of cultures, reaching into the Ancient Near East and prehistory. The relation of religious cult and the state was discussed by the ancient Latin scholar Marcus Terentius Varro, under the term of theologia civilis (Template:Literal translation). The first state-sponsored Christian denomination was the Armenian Apostolic Church, established in 301 CE.<ref>The Journal of Ecclesiastical History. p. 268 by Cambridge University Press, Gale Group, C.W. Dugmore</ref> In Christianity, as the term church is typically applied to a place of worship for Christians or organizations incorporating such ones, the term state church is associated with Christianity as sanctioned by the government, historically the state church of the Roman Empire in the last centuries of the Empire's existence, and is sometimes used to denote a specific modern national branch of Christianity. Closely related to state churches are ecclesiae, which are similar but carry a more minor connotation.

In the Middle East, the majority of states with a predominantly Muslim population have Islam as their official religion, though the degree of religious restrictions on citizens' everyday lives varies by country. Rulers of Saudi Arabia use religious power, while Iran's secular presidents are supposed to follow the decisions of religious authorities since the 1979 Islamic Revolution. Turkey, which also has Muslim-majority population, became a secular country after Atatürk's Reforms, although unlike the Russian Revolution of the same time period, it did not result in the adoption of state atheism.

The degree to which an official national religion is imposed upon citizens by the state in contemporary society varies considerably; from high as in Saudi Arabia and Iran, to none at all as in Greenland, Denmark, England, Iceland, and Greece (in Europe, the state religion might be called in English, the established church).

TypesEdit

The degree and nature of state backing for denomination or creed designated as a state religion can vary. It can range from mere endorsement (with or without financial support) with freedom for other faiths to practice, to prohibiting any competing religious body from operating and to persecuting the followers of other sects.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> In Europe, competition between Catholic and Protestant denominations for state sponsorship in the 16th century evolved the principle Cuius regio, eius religio (states follow the religion of the ruler) embodied in the text of the treaty that marked the Peace of Augsburg in 1555. In England, Henry VIII broke with Rome in 1534, being declared the Supreme Head of the Church of England,Template:Efn the official religion of England continued to be "Catholicism without the Pope" until after his death in 1547.<ref>Neill, Stephen. Anglicanism Penguin (1960), p. 61</ref>

In some cases, an administrative region may sponsor and fund a set of religious denominations; such is the case in Alsace-Moselle in France under its local law, following the pre-1905 French concordatory legal system and patterns in Germany.<ref>The concerned religious communities are the dioceses of Metz and of Strasbourg, the Lutheran EPCAAL and the Reformed EPRAL and the three Israelite consistories in Colmar, Metz and Strasbourg.</ref>

State churchesEdit

File:Elizabeth II national mourning period - 04.jpg
Westminster Abbey is responsible directly to the British monarch. The Church of England is the established church in England.

A state church (or "established church") is a state religion established by a state for use exclusively by that state. In the case of a state church, the state has absolute control over the church, but in the case of a state religion, the church is ruled by an exterior body; for example, in the case of Catholicism, the Vatican has control over the church.

DisestablishmentEdit

Template:Further Disestablishment is the process of repealing a church's status as an organ of the state. In a state where an established church is in place, opposition to such a move may be described as antidisestablishmentarianism.

Current states with a state religionEdit

BuddhismEdit

Governments where Buddhism, either a specific form of it, or Buddhism as a whole, has been established as an official religion:

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Article 3, Spiritual Heritage
  1. Buddhism is the spiritual heritage of Bhutan, which promotes the principles and values of peace, non-violence, compassion and tolerance.
  2. The Druk Gyalpo is the protector of all religions in Bhutan.
  3. It shall be the responsibility of religious institutions and personalities to promote the spiritual heritage of the country while also ensuring that religion remains separate from politics in Bhutan. Religious institutions and personalities shall remain above politics.
  4. The Druk Gyalpo shall, on the recommendation of the Five Lopons, appoint a learned and respected monk ordained in accordance with the Druk-lu, blessed with the nine qualities of a spiritual master and accomplished in ked-dzog, as the Je Khenpo.
  5. His Holiness the Je Khenpo shall, on the recommendation of the Dratshang Lhentshog, appoint monks blessed with the nine qualities of a spiritual master and accomplished in ked-dzog as the Five Lopons.
  6. The members of the Dratshang Lhentshog shall comprise:
    Template:Pad(a) The Je Khenpo as Chairman;
    Template:Pad(b) The Five Lopons of the Zhung Dratshang; and
    Template:Pad(c) The Secretary of the Dratshang Lhentshog who is a civil servant.
  7. The Zhung Dratshang and Rabdeys shall continue to receive adequate funds and other facilities from the State.{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation

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|CitationClass=web }} (Article 43).</ref> About 98% of Cambodia's population is Buddhist.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

|CitationClass=web }}</ref> The 1961 State Religion Promotion and Support Act requires the government to teach Buddhist lessons in schools, to give priority to Buddhist monasteries in founding of primary schools, to make Uposatha days holidays during Vassa months, to broadcast Buddhist sermons by State media on Uposatha days, and otherwise promote and support Buddhism as State Religion.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

  • Template:Flagicon Sri Lanka: The constitution of Sri Lanka states under Chapter II, Article 9, "The Republic of Sri Lanka declares Theravada Buddhism as the state religion and accordingly it shall be the duty of the Head of State and Head of Government to protect and foster the Buddha Sasana".<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation

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In some countries, Buddhism is not recognized as a state religion, but holds special status:

  • Template:Flagicon Thailand: Article 67 of the Constitution of Thailand states: The State should support and protect Buddhism [...] In supporting and protecting Buddhism, [...] the State should promote and support education and dissemination of dharmic principles of Theravada Buddhism [...], and shall have measures and mechanisms to prevent Buddhism from being undermined in any form. The State should also encourage Buddhists to participate in implementing such measures or mechanisms.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation

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  • Template:Flagicon Laos: According to the Lao Constitution, Buddhism is given special privilege in the country. The state respects and protects all the lawful activities of Buddhism.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation

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ChristianityEdit

{{#invoke:Labelled list hatnote|labelledList|Main article|Main articles|Main page|Main pages}} The following states recognize some form of Christianity as their state or official religion or recognize a special status for it (by denomination):

Non-denominational ChristianityEdit

  • Template:Flag: On 12 March 2025, Parliament voted to amend the Constitution of Papua New Guinea to include in its preamble the words "[We] acknowledge and declare God, the Father; Jesus Christ, the Son; and Holy Spirit, as our Creator and Sustainer of the entire universe and the source of our powers and authorities, delegated to the people and all persons within the geographical jurisdiction of Papua New Guinea."<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation

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CatholicismEdit

Jurisdictions where Catholicism has been established as a state or official religion:

  • Template:Flag: Article 75 of the Constitution of Costa Rica confirms that "The Catholic and Apostolic Religion is the religion of the State, which contributes to its maintenance, without preventing the free exercise in the Republic of other forms of worship that are not opposed to universal morality or good customs."<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation

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|CitationClass=web }}</ref> The highest state functionaries are all Catholic clergy of various national origins. It is the sovereign territory of the Holy See (Template:Langx) and the location of the Pope's official residence, referred to as the Apostolic Palace.

  • Template:Flag: The Constitution of Liechtenstein describes the Catholic Church as the state religion and enjoying "the full protection of the State". The constitution does however ensure that people of other faiths "shall be entitled to practice their creeds and to hold religious services to the extent consistent with morality and public order".<ref name="LiechtensteinConstitution">Template:Webarchive (archived from the original on 2009-03-26).</ref>
  • Template:Flag: Article 2 of the Constitution of Malta declares that "the religion of Malta is the Catholic and Apostolic Religion".<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation

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Jurisdictions that give various degrees of recognition in their constitutions to Roman Catholicism without establishing it as the State religion:

  • Template:Flag: The Constitution of Andorra allows the Roman Catholic Church to practice freely and openly, and keeps a special relationship between the Church and the government, based on tradition. It also recognizes the Church’s organizations as legal entities, according to their own rules.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref>The government appoints the Roman Catholic Bishop of Urgell, based in Catalonia, Spain, as one of two heads of state, alongside the President of France. Following the revised Education Law of April 2022, the Constitution bans the use of conspicuous religious symbols in public schools and is an attempt to secularize public education.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation

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  • Template:Flag: Article 2 of the Constitution of Argentina explicitly states that the government supports the Roman Catholic Apostolic Faith, but the constitution does not establish a state religion.<ref>
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|CitationClass=web }}</ref> Before its 1994 amendment, the Constitution stated that the President of the Republic must be a Roman Catholic.

  • Template:Flag: Although Article 3 of the Constitution of El Salvador states that "no restrictions shall be established that are based on differences of nationality, race, sex or religion", Article 26 states that the state recognizes the Catholic Church and gives it legal preference.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation

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  • Template:Flag: The Constitution of Guatemala recognises the juridical personality of the Catholic Church. Other churches, cults, entities, and associations of religious character will obtain the recognition of their juridical personality in accordance with the rules of their institution.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation

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  • Template:Flag: The Constitution of Italy does not establish a state religion, but recognizes the state and the Catholic Church as "independent and sovereign, each within its own sphere".<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation

|CitationClass=web }}</ref> The Constitution additionally reserves to the Catholic faith singular position in regard to the organization of worship, as opposed to all other confessions.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

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  • Template:Flag: The Constitution of Poland states that "The relations between the Republic of Poland and the Roman Catholic Church shall be determined by international treaty concluded with the Holy See, and by statute."<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation

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  • Template:Flag: The Constitution of Spain of 1978 abolished Catholicism as the official state religion, while recognizing the role it plays in Spanish society.<ref name=es_CONSTITUTION>Template:Cite act</ref> The State allocates the 0.7% of the personal income tax corresponding to taxpayers who express their will to support the Catholic Church <ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation

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Eastern OrthodoxyEdit

The jurisdictions below give various degrees of recognition in their constitutions to Eastern Orthodoxy, but without establishing it as the state religion:

  • Template:Flag: The Church of Greece is recognized by the Greek Constitution as the prevailing religion in Greece.<ref name="GreeceConstitution">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation

|CitationClass=web }}</ref> However, this provision does not give exclusivity of worship to the Church of Greece, while all other religions are recognized as equal and may be practiced freely.<ref name="GreeceConstitution2">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

  • Template:Flag: In the Bulgarian Constitution, Eastern Orthodoxy is recognized as "the traditional religion" of the Bulgarian people, but the state itself remains secular.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation

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  • Template:Flag: The Constitution of Cyprus states: "The Autocephalous Greek-Orthodox Church of Cyprus shall continue to have the exclusive right of regulating and administering its own internal affairs and property in accordance with the Holy Canons and its Charter in force for the time being and the Greek Communal Chamber shall not act inconsistently with such right."<ref name="CyprusConstitution">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation

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ProtestantismEdit

The following states recognize some form of Protestantism as their state or official religion:

The CommonwealthEdit

AnglicanismEdit

The Anglican Church of England is the established church in England as well as all three of the Crown Dependencies:

|CitationClass=web }}</ref> It is the only established Anglican church worldwide. The Anglican Church in Wales, the Scottish Episcopal Church and the Church of Ireland are not established churches and they are independent of the Church of England. The British monarch is the titular Supreme Governor of the Church of England. The 26 most senior bishops in the Church of England are Lords Spiritual and have seats in the House of Lords of the Parliament of the United Kingdom.

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CalvinismEdit

|CitationClass=web }}</ref> While it is the national church, it 'is not State controlled' and the monarch is not the 'supreme governor' as in the Church of England.<ref name="Scotland"/>

  • Template:Flag: The Church of Tuvalu is the state religion, although in practice this merely entitles it to "the privilege of performing special services on major national events".<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation

|CitationClass=web }}</ref> The Constitution of Tuvalu guarantees freedom of religion, including the freedom to practice, the freedom to change religion, the right not to receive religious instruction at school or to attend religious ceremonies at school, and the right not to "take an oath or make an affirmation that is contrary to his religion or belief".<ref>Constitution of Tuvalu, article 23.</ref>

Nordic countriesEdit

LutheranismEdit

Jurisdictions where a Lutheran church has been fully or partially established as a state recognized religion include the Nordic States.

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Jurisdictions that give various degrees of recognition in their constitutions to Lutheranism without establishing it as the state religion:

|CitationClass=web }}</ref> The Church Act can be amended only by a decision of the synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church and subsequent ratification by the Parliament of Finland. The Church Act is protected by the Constitution of Finland and the state cannot change the Church Act without changing the constitution. The church has the power to tax its members. The state collects these taxes for the church, for a fee. On the other hand, the church is required to give a burial place for everyone in its graveyards.<ref name="Finland Constitution"/> The President of Finland also decides the themes for intercession days. The church does not consider itself a state church, as the Finnish state does not have the power to influence its internal workings or its theology, although it has a veto in those changes of the internal structure which require changing the Church Act. Neither does the Finnish state accord any precedence to Lutherans or the Lutheran faith in its own acts.

  • Template:Flag: Until 2012, the Church of Norway was not a separate legal entity from the government. It was disestablished and became a national church, a legally distinct entity from the state with special constitutional status. The King of Norway is required by the Constitution to be a member of the Church of Norway, and the church is regulated by special canon law, unlike other religions.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation

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  • Template:Flag: The Church of Sweden was the state church of Sweden between 1527 when King Gustav Vasa broke all ties with Rome and 2000 when the state officially became secular. Much like in Finland, it does have a special relation to the Swedish state unlike any other religious organizations. For example, there is a special law that regulates certain aspects of the church<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation

|CitationClass=web }}</ref> and the members of the royal family are required to belong to it in order to have a claim to the line of succession. A majority of the population still belongs to the Church of Sweden.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Other/mixedEdit

  • Template:Flag: The Armenian Orthodox Church has a constitutional agreement with the State: "The Republic of Armenia shall recognise the exclusive mission of the Armenian Orthodox Holy Church, as a national church, in the spiritual life of the Armenian people, in the development of their national culture and preservation of their national identity."<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation

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  • Template:Flag: The constitution of the Dominican Republic specifies that there is no state church and provides for freedom of religion and belief. A concordat with the Holy See designates Catholicism as the official religion and extends special privileges to the Catholic Church not granted to other religious groups. These include the legal recognition of church law, use of public funds to underwrite some church expenses, and complete exoneration from customs duties.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation

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  • Template:Flag: While Catholicism has not been the state religion since 1987, a 19th-century concordat with the Holy See continues to confer preferential treatment to the Catholic Church, in the form of stipends for clergy and financial support to churches and religious schools. The Catholic Church also retains the right to appoint certain amounts of clergy in Haiti without the government's consent.<ref name="Haiti">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation

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IslamEdit

Many Muslim-majority countries have constitutionally established Islam, or a specific form of it, as a state religion. Proselytism (converting people away from Islam) is often illegal in such states.<ref name="dpn">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>Sheen J. Freedom of Religion and Belief: A World Report. (Routledge, 1997) p. 452.</ref>

  • Template:Flagicon Afghanistan: Officially, Afghanistan has continuously been an Islamic state under various constitutions since at least 1987.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation

|CitationClass=web }}</ref> Since 2021, the Taliban has made Sunni Islam according to the Hanafi school official, and has discriminated systematically against the Shia minority.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

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  • Template:Flagicon Bangladesh: Article (2A) of the Constitution of Bangladesh declares: "The state religion of the Republic is Islam, but the State shall ensure equal status and equal right in the practice of the Hindu, Buddhist, Christian and other religions."<ref name="bdlaws.minlaw.gov.bd">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation

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|CitationClass=web }}</ref> Islam has been Iran's state religion since 1501 dating back to the Safavid dynasty and has continued ever since, excluding the period of breaks in the Pahlavi dynasty.

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  • Template:Flagicon Qatar: Article 1 of the Constitution of Qatar: "Qatar is an independent sovereign Arab State. Its religion is Islam and Shari'a law shall be a main source of its legislations."<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation

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Other/mixedEdit

In some countries, Islam is not recognized as a state religion, but holds special status:

  • Template:Flagicon Syria: The 2025 Interim Constitution of Syria carries much of the same context of religion as prior constitutions, albeit with a slight wording change regarding the influence of Islamic jurisprudence on legislation. The new constitution however does not explicitly designate a State Religion in the same way as various other Middle Eastern countries do. Article 3 states "The religion of the President of the Republic is Islam; Islamic jurisprudence is the principal source of legislation.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation

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  • Template:Flagicon Tajikistan: Although there is a separation of religion from politics, certain aspects of law also privilege Islam. One such law declares "Islam to be a traditional religion of Tajikistan, with more rights and privileges given to Islamic organizations than to religious groups of non-Muslim origin".<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation

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  • Template:Flagicon Tunisia: Article 5 of the Constitution declares that "Tunisia is part of the Muslim world, and the state alone must work to achieve the goals of pure Islam in preserving honourable life of religious freedom". Islam has been given special privileges by the Constitution, though it is no longer the state religion.<ref name="auto">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation

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  • Template:Flagicon Turkmenistan: The Constitution claims to uphold a secular system in which religious and state institutions are separate. However, in Turkmenistan, the state actively privileges a form of traditional Islam. The culture, including Islam, is a key facet, contributes to the Turkmen national identity. The state encourages the conceptualization of "Turkmen Islam".<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation

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  • Template:Flagicon Uzbekistan: Since independence, Islam has taken on an altogether new role in the nation-building process in Uzbekistan. The government affords Islam in special status and declared it as a national heritage and a moral guideline.<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref>

JudaismEdit

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  • Template:Flag: Since the Proclamation of Israeli independence in 1948, Judaism is defined in several of its laws as a "Jewish and democratic state" (medina yehudit ve-demokratit). However, the term "Jewish" is a polyseme that can describe the Jewish people as either an ethnic or a religious group. The debate about the meaning of the term "Jewish" and its legal and social applications is one of the most profound issues with which Israeli society deals. The problem of the status of religion in Israel, even though it is relevant to all religions, usually refers to the status of Judaism in Israeli society. Thus, even though from a constitutional point of view Judaism is not the state religion in Israel, its status nevertheless determines relations between religion and state and the extent to which religion influences the political center.<ref>Trouble in Utopia: The Overburdened Polity of Israel, by Dan Horowitz and Moshe Lissak, pp. 51–52</ref> The Law of Return, passed on 5 July 1950, gives the global Jewish diaspora the right to relocate to Israel and acquire Israeli citizenship. Section - (1) of that law declares that "Every Jew has the right to come to this country as an Oleh"('immigrant'). In the Law of Return, the State of Israel gave effect to the Zionist movement's "credo" which called for the establishment of Israel as a Sovereign Jewish state with Democratic setups, ideals and values.<ref>International Commission of Jurists

https://www.icj.org › 2013/06PDF The Law of Return, 5710-1950 1. Right of "aliya" Every Jew has the ...</ref> The State of Israel supports religious institutions, particularly Orthodox Jewish ones, and recognizes the "religious communities" as carried over from those recognized under the British Mandate—in turn derived from the pre-1917 Ottoman system of millets. These are Jewish and Christian (Eastern Orthodox, Latin Catholic, Gregorian-Armenian, Armenian-Catholic, Syriac Catholic, Chaldean, Melkite Catholic, Maronite Catholic, and Syriac Orthodox). The fact that the Muslim population was not defined as a religious community does not affect the rights of the Muslim community to practice their faith. At the end of the period covered by the 2009 U.S. International Religious Freedom Report, several of these denominations were pending official government recognition; however, the Government has allowed adherents of not officially recognized groups the freedom to practice. In 1961, legislation gave Muslim Shari'a courts exclusive jurisdiction in matters of personal status. Three additional religious communities have subsequently been recognized by Israeli law: the Druze (prior under Islamic jurisdiction), the Evangelical Episcopal Church, and followers of the Baháʼí Faith.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Political religionsEdit

In some countries, there is a political ideology sponsored by the government that may be called political religion.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref>

Multiple religion recognitionEdit

  • Template:Flag: The government of China officially espouses state atheism,<ref name="Dillon2001">Template:Cite book</ref> and officially recognizes only five religions: Buddhism, Taoism, Islam, Christianity (Catholicism and Protestantism).<ref>Rowan Callick. Party Time: Who Runs China and How. Black Inc, 2013. p. 112</ref> Despite limitations on certain forms of religious expression and assembly, religion is not banned, and religious freedom is nominally protected under the Chinese constitution. Among the general Chinese population there is a wide variety of religious practices.<ref name="French">Template:Cite news</ref> The Chinese government's attitude to religion is one of skepticism and non-promotion.<ref name="French"/><ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation

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|CitationClass=web }}</ref> as well as traditional and indigenous beliefs.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Pancasila comes from the Jakarta Charter whose first article was changed from "Divinity, with the obligation to carry out Islamic law for its adherents" to "the One Divinity", to respect other religions. The Constitution of Indonesia guarantees freedom of religion and the practice of other religions and beliefs, including traditional animistic beliefs. Atheism, although not prosecuted, is discouraged by the state ideology of Pancasila. In addition, the province of Aceh receives a special status and a higher degree of autonomy, in which it may enact laws (qanuns) based on the Sharia and enforce it, especially to its Muslim residents.

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  • Template:Flag is a secular state, but the Grand Duchy recognizes and supports several denominations, including the Catholic Church, Greek Orthodox, Russian Orthodox, Romanian Orthodox, Serbian Orthodox, Anglican and some Protestantism denominations as well as to Jewish congregations.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref>
  • Template:Flag is a secular nation, and secularism in Nepal under the interim constitution (Part 1, Article 4) is defined as "religious and cultural freedom, along with the protection of religion and culture handed down from time immemorial". That is, "the state government is bound for protecting and fostering Hindu religion" while maintaining "religious" and "cultural" freedom throughout the nation as fundamental rights.
  • Template:Flag: Though a secular state under the constitution, Russia is often said to have Russian Orthodoxy as the de facto national religion, despite other minorities: "The Russian Orthodox Church is de facto privileged religion of the state, claiming the right to decide which other religions or denominations are to be granted the right of registration".<ref>Template:Cite book</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation

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Islam in Russia is recognized under the law and by Russian political leaders as one of Russia's traditional religions, Islam is a part of Russian historical heritage, and is subsidized by the Russian government.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> The position of Islam as a major Russian religion, alongside Orthodox Christianity, dates from the time of Catherine the Great, who sponsored Islamic clerics and scholarship through the Orenburg Assembly.<ref>Azamatov, Danil D. (1998), "The Muftis of the Orenburg Spiritual Assembly in the 18th and 19th Centuries: The Struggle for Power in Russia's Muslim Institution", in Anke von Kugelgen; Michael Kemper; Allen J. Frank, Muslim culture in Russia and Central Asia from the 18th to the early 20th centuries, vol. 2: Inter-Regional and Inter-Ethnic Relations, Berlin: Klaus Schwarz Verlag, pp. 355–384,</ref>

  • Template:Flag is officially a secular country and does not have a state religion, and has been named in one study as the "most religiously diverse nation in the world", with no religious group forming a majority.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation

|CitationClass=web }}</ref> However, the government gives official recognition to twelve different religions, namely Buddhism, Confucianism, Christianity, Islam, Hinduism, Taoism, Sikhism, Shintoism, Judaism, Zoroastrianism, Jainism, and the Baháʼí Faith,<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> and Singapore's penal code explicitly prohibits "wounding religious feelings". The Jehovah's Witnesses and Unification Church are also banned in Singapore, as the government deems them to be a threat to national security.

|CitationClass=web }}</ref> But; the Directorate of Religious Affairs, an official state institution established by Mustafa Kemal Atatürk in 1924,<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> expresses opinions only on religious matters regarding Sunni institutions.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> The directorate regulates the operation of the country's hundreds of thousands of registered mosques and employs local and provincial imams (who are civil servants) who are appointed and paid by the state,<ref name="US2008">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> whilst other sects of Islam with a sizeable minority such as Alevism are not being regulated nor being funded by the directorate.<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref>

In addition, the Treaty of Lausanne explicitly guarantees the security and protection of both Greek and Armenian Orthodox Christian minorities and the Turkish-Jews. Their religious institutions are recognized officially by the state.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>Template:Cite report</ref>

|CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> but recognizes only 38 religious organizations and one dharma practice.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Former state religionsEdit

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Roman religion and ChristianityEdit

{{#invoke:Labelled list hatnote|labelledList|Main article|Main articles|Main page|Main pages}}Catholic Christianity, as opposed to Arianism and other ideologies deemed heretical, was declared to be the state religion of the Roman Empire on 27 February 380<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> by the decree De fide catolica of Emperor Theodosius I.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Han dynasty ConfucianismEdit

In China, the Han dynasty (206 BCE – 220 CE) advocated Confucianism as the de facto state religion, establishing tests based on Confucian texts as an entrance requirement into government service—although, in fact, the "Confucianism" advocated by the Han emperors may be more properly termed a sort of Confucian Legalism or "State Confucianism". This sort of Confucianism continued to be regarded by the emperors, with a few notable exceptions, as a form of state religion from this time until the collapse of the Chinese monarchy in 1912. Note, however, there is a debate over whether Confucianism (including Neo-Confucianism) is a religion or purely a philosophical system.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Yuan dynasty BuddhismEdit

During the Mongol-led Yuan dynasty of China (1271–1368 CE), Tibetan Buddhism was established as the de facto state religion by the Kublai Khan, the founder of the Yuan dynasty. The top-level department and government agency known as the Bureau of Buddhist and Tibetan Affairs (Xuanzheng Yuan) was set up in Khanbaliq (modern Beijing) to supervise Buddhist monks throughout the empire. Since Kublai Khan only esteemed the Sakya sect of Tibetan Buddhism, other religions became less important. Before the end of the Yuan dynasty, 14 leaders of the Sakya sect had held the post of Imperial Preceptor (Dishi), thereby enjoying special power.<ref>History of civilizations of Central Asia.: A.D. 750 to the end of the fifteenth century. Part two: The achievements, p. 59</ref>

Golden Horde and IlkhanateEdit

The Mongol rulers Ghazan of Ilkhanate and Uzbeg of Golden Horde converted to Islam in 1295 CE because of the Muslim Mongol emir Nawruz and in 1313 CE because of Sufi Bukharan sayyid and sheikh Ibn Abdul Hamid respectively. Their official favoring of Islam as the state religion coincided with a marked attempt to bring the regime closer to the non-Mongol majority of the regions they ruled. In Ilkhanate, Christian and Jewish subjects lost their equal status with Muslims and again had to pay the poll tax; Buddhists had the starker choice of conversion or expulsion.<ref>Medieval Persia 1040–1797, David Morgan p. 72</ref>

Former state churches in British North AmericaEdit

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Other statesEdit

|CitationClass=web }}</ref> The 1815 Constitution also provided for a state salary and pension for the priesthood of established religions at the time (Protestantism, Catholicism and Judaism). This settlement, nicknamed de zilveren koorde (the silver cord), was abolished in 1983.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

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  • Template:Flagicon Tunisia: Article 5 of the Constitution declares that "Tunisia is part of the Muslim world, and the state alone must work to achieve the goals of pure Islam in preserving honorable life of religious freedom". Although Islam has been given special privileges by the Constitution, it is no longer the state religion.<ref name="auto"/><ref name="reuters.com"/>
  • Template:Flag sanctioned Buddhism and Confucianism as the state religions.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref><ref name="Calabresi2021">Template:Cite book</ref> Buddhism became an arm of the shogunate, and temples were used for population registration. Distinctive schools of Japanese Buddhism such as Zen, Pure Land, and Nichiren structured Japanese religious life until the 19th century.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation

|CitationClass=web }}</ref> Confucian Zhu Xi's teaching became a major intellectual force, and the Four Books became available to virtually every educated person.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Established churches and former state churchesEdit

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Country Church Denomination Disestablished
Anhalt Evangelical State Church of Anhalt United Protestant 1918
Armenia Armenian Apostolic Church Oriental Orthodox 1921
Austria Roman Catholic Church Catholic 1918
Baden 1918
United Evangelical Protestant State Church of Baden United Protestant
Bavaria Roman Catholic Church Catholic
Protestant State Church in the Kingdom of Bavaria right of the Rhine Lutheran and Reformed
United Protestant Evangelical Christian Church of the Palatinate United Protestant
Barbados Church of England Anglican 1968
Bolivia Roman Catholic Church Catholic 2009
BrazilTemplate:Efn 1890
Brunswick Evangelical Lutheran State Church in Brunswick Lutheran 1918
Bulgaria Bulgarian Orthodox Church Eastern Orthodox 1946
Central African Empire Roman Catholic Church Catholic 1979
Chile 1925
Colombia 1936<ref>John Gunter, Inside Latin America (1941), p. 166</ref>
Cuba 1902
Cyprus Church of Cyprus Eastern Orthodox 1977Template:Efn
Czechoslovakia Roman Catholic Church Catholic 1920
Denmark Church of Denmark Lutheran —
El Salvador Roman Catholic Church Catholic 1983
England Church of England Anglican —
Ethiopia Ethiopian Orthodox Church Oriental Orthodox 1974
Faroe Islands Church of the Faroe Islands Lutheran Elevated from a diocese of the Church of Denmark in 2007 (the two remain in close cooperation).
Finland Evangelical Lutheran Church of Finland 1867
Finnish Orthodox Church Eastern Orthodox 1917
France Cult of Reason N/A 1794 (established 1793)
Cult of the Supreme Being 1794 (banned in 1802)
Roman Catholic ChurchTemplate:Efn Catholic 1905
Georgia Georgian Orthodox Church Eastern Orthodox 1921
Greece Church of Greece The Church is recognized by the Greek Constitution as the "prevailing religion" in Greece.<ref name=GreeceConstitution/>
Greenland Church of Denmark Lutheran Under discussion to be elevated from the Diocese of Greenland in the Church of Denmark to a state church for Greenland, similar to the Faroese Church.
Guatemala Roman Catholic Church Catholic 1871
Haiti 1987
Hawaii Church of Hawaii Anglican 1893
Hesse Evangelical Church in Hesse United Protestant 1918
Honduras Roman Catholic Church Catholic 1982
HungaryTemplate:Efn 1946
Iceland Lutheran Evangelical Church Lutheran —
IrelandTemplate:Efn Church of Ireland Anglican 1871
Italy Roman Catholic Church Catholic 18 February 1984 (effective per 25 April 1985)<ref>Template:Cite book</ref>
Liechtenstein<ref name=LiechtensteinConstitution /> —
Lippe Church of Lippe Reformed 1918
Lithuania Roman Catholic Church Catholic 1940
Lübeck Evangelical Lutheran Church in the State of Lübeck Lutheran 1918
Luxembourg Roman Catholic Church Catholic citation CitationClass=web

}}</ref>

Malta —
Mecklenburg-Schwerin Evangelical Lutheran State Church of Mecklenburg-Schwerin Lutheran 1918
Mecklenburg-Strelitz Mecklenburg-Strelitz State Church
Mexico Roman Catholic Church Catholic 1857 (reestablished from 1864 to 1867)
Monaco —
Netherlands Dutch Reformed Church Reformed 1795
NicaraguaTemplate:Efn Roman Catholic Church Catholic citation CitationClass=web

}}</ref>

North Macedonia Macedonian Orthodox Church Eastern Orthodox 1921
Norway Church of Norway Lutheran 2012 (effective per 1 January 2017)Template:Efn
Oldenburg Evangelical Lutheran Church of Oldenburg 1918
Panama Roman Catholic Church Catholic 1904
Paraguay 1992<ref>Under the 1967 Constitution, Roman Catholicism was the state religion as stated in Article 6: "The Roman Catholic Apostolic religion is the state religion, without prejudice to religious freedom, which is guaranteed in accordance with the provisions of this Constitution. Official relations of the republic with the Holy See shall be governed by concordats or other bilateral agreements." The 1992 Constitution, which replaced the 1967 one, establishes Paraguay as a secular state, as mentioned in section (1) of Article 24: "Freedom of religion, worship, and ideology is recognized without any restrictions other than those established in this Constitution and the law. The State has no official religion."</ref>
Peru 1993
PhilippinesTemplate:Efn 1898
PolandTemplate:Efn 1947
PortugalTemplate:Efn 1910 and 1976
Prussia
(pre-1866 provinces)		 Evangelical State Church of Prussia's older Provinces (nine ecclesiastical provinces) United Protestant 1918
Prussia
(Province of Hanover)		 Evangelical Reformed State Church of the Province of Hanover Reformed
Evangelical Lutheran State Church of Hanover Lutheran
Prussia
(Province of Hesse-Nassau, partially)		 Evangelical State Church of Frankfurt upon Main United Protestant
Evangelical Church of Electoral Hesse
Evangelical State Church in Nassau
Prussia
(Province of Schleswig-Holstein)		 Evangelical Lutheran Church of Schleswig-Holstein Lutheran
Romania Romanian Orthodox Church Eastern Orthodox 1947
Russia Russian Orthodox Church 1917
Saxony Evangelical Lutheran State Church of Saxony Lutheran 1918
Schaumburg-Lippe Evangelical Lutheran State Church of Schaumburg-Lippe
Scotland<ref>The modern Church of Scotland has always disclaimed recognition as an "established" church while remaining the national church. The Church of Scotland Act 1921 formally recognised the Kirk's independence from the state.</ref> Church of Scotland Presbyterian "The Kirk" remains the national church, with state control disclaimed since 1638. Not an established faith per the Church of Scotland Act 1921.
Serbia Serbian Orthodox Church Eastern Orthodox 1920
Spain Roman Catholic Church Catholic 1978
Sweden Church of Sweden Lutheran 2000
Thuringia Church bodies in principalities which merged in Thuringia in 1920 1918
Tuvalu Church of Tuvalu Reformed —
Uruguay Roman Catholic Church Catholic 1918 (effective since 1919)
United StatesTemplate:Efn none since 1776, which was made explicit in the Bill of Rights in 1792 N/A N/ATemplate:Efn
Waldeck Evangelical State Church of Waldeck and Pyrmont United Protestant 1918
WalesTemplate:Efn Church of England Anglican 1920
Württemberg Evangelical State Church in Württemberg Lutheran 1918

Former confessional statesEdit

The list of former confessional states only includes states that abolished their state religion themselves, not states with a state religion that were conquered, fell apart or otherwise disappeared.

BuddhismEdit

Country Denomination Disestablished
Laos Theravada Buddhism citation CitationClass=web

}}</ref>

Thailand (Siam) 1932
Tokugawa Shogunate Japanese Buddhism 1868

HinduismEdit

Country Disestablished
Nepal Template:Ubl

IslamEdit

Country Denomination Disestablished
Sudan Sunni Islam 2020<ref name="Atit">Template:Cite news</ref>
Tunisia 2022<ref name="auto"/>
Turkey 1928Template:Efn

ShintoEdit

Country Denomination Disestablished
Japan State Shinto 1947 (de facto)<ref>Template:Cite encyclopedia</ref>

See alsoEdit

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NotesEdit

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ReferencesEdit

Template:Reflist

Further readingEdit

  • Rowlands, John Henry Lewis (1989). Church, State, and Society, 1827–1845: the Attitudes of John Keble, Richard Hurrell Froude, and John Henry Newman. Worthing, Eng.: P. Smith [of] Churchman Publishing; Folkestone, Eng.: distr.Template:Nbsp... by Bailey Book Distribution. Template:ISBN

External linksEdit

Template:Religious persecution Template:RelpolnavTemplate:Discrimination Template:Religion topics Template:Authority control

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