Editing Secular state (section)

==Origin and practice==
Secularity can be established at a state's creation (e.g., the [[Soviet Union]], the [[United States]]) or by it later [[Secularization|secularizing]] (e.g., [[France]] or [[Nepal]]). Movements for [[Secularism in France|''laïcité'' in France]] and [[Freedom of religion in the United States|separation of church and state in the United States]] have defined modern concepts of secularism, the United States of America being the first explicitly secular government in history. Historically, the process of secularisation typically involves granting [[religious freedom]], disestablishing state religions, stopping public funds being used for religion, freeing the legal system from religious control, [[Secular education|freeing up the education system]], tolerating citizens [[Apostasy|who change religion]] or [[Irreligion|abstain from religion]], and allowing political leaders to come to power regardless of their religious beliefs.<ref>Jean Baubérot [http://www.ambafrance-us.org/atoz/secular.asp The secular principle] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080222013645/http://www.ambafrance-us.org/atoz/secular.asp |date=22 February 2008 }}</ref>

In [[France]], [[Italy]], and [[Spain]], for example, [[Public holiday|official holidays]] for the [[public administration]] tend to be [[Calendar of saints|Christian feast days]]. Any private school in France that contracts with [[Ministry of National Education (France)|''Éducation nationale'']] means its [[teacher]]s are salaried by the state—most of the [[Catholic school]]s are in this situation and, because of history, they are the majority; however, any other religious or non-religious schools also contract this way.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Teese |first1=Richard |title=Private Schools in France: Evolution of a System |journal=Comparative Education Review |date=1986 |volume=30 |issue=2 |pages=247–259 |doi=10.1086/446591 |jstor=1188531 |s2cid=144698211 }}</ref> In some [[List of sovereign states and dependent territories in Europe|European states]] where secularism confronts [[Monoculturalism|monoculturalist]] [[philanthropy]], some of the main [[Christian denomination]]s and [[List of religions and spiritual traditions|sects of other religions]] depend on the state for some of the financial resources for their religious [[Charitable organization|charities]].<ref>{{cite web|last=Twinch|first=Emily|title=Religious charities: Faith, funding and the state|url=http://www.thirdsector.co.uk/news/Article/914534/religious-charities-faith-funding-state/|work=Article dated 22 June 2009|publisher=Third Sector – a UK Charity Periodical|access-date=3 June 2012|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130510221443/http://www.thirdsector.co.uk/news/Article/914534/religious-charities-faith-funding-state/|archive-date=10 May 2013}}</ref> It is common in [[corporate law]] and [[charity law]] to prohibit [[organized religion]] from using those funds to organize religious worship in a separate [[place of worship]] or for [[Religious conversion|conversion]]; the religious body itself must provide the religious content, educated [[clergy]] and [[Lay preacher|laypersons]] to exercise its own functions and may choose to devote part of their time to the separate charities. To that effect, some of those charities establish secular organizations that manage part of or all of the donations from the main religious bodies.

Many states that are nowadays secular in practice may have legal vestiges of an earlier [[State religion|established religion]]. Secularism also has various guises that may coincide with some degree of official [[religiosity]]. In the [[United Kingdom]], the [[head of state]] is still required to take the [[Coronation Oath Act 1688|Coronation Oath enacted in 1688]], swearing to maintain the [[Reformed Christianity|Protestant Reformed religion]] and to preserve the established [[Church of England]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.royal.gov.uk/royaleventsandceremonies/coronation/coronation.aspx|title=Coronation Oath|access-date=18 March 2015}}</ref> The UK also maintains seats in the [[House of Lords]] for 26 senior clergymen of the Church of England, known as the [[Lords Spiritual]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.parliament.uk/business/lords/whos-in-the-house-of-lords/members-and-their-roles/how-members-are-appointed/#jump-link-3|title=How members are appointed|work=UK Parliament|access-date=18 March 2015}}</ref> In [[Canada]] the ''[[Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms]]'' affords secular freedoms of conscience and religion, thought, belief, opinion and expression, including communication, assembly and association yet the [[Preamble to the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms|Charter's preamble]] maintains the concept of "the supremacy of God" which would appear to disadvantage those who hold [[Nontheism|nontheistic]] or [[Polytheism|polytheistic]] beliefs, including [[Atheism]] and [[Buddhism]].<ref name="Hogg, Peter W. 1982">Hogg, Peter W.  ''Canada Act 1982 Annotated''.  Toronto, Canada:  The Carswell Company Limited, 1982.</ref><ref name="Paul Russell">[http://www.academia.edu/16378297/_The_supremacy_of_God_does_not_belong_in_the_Constitution_ ''Paul Russell''], "The supremacy of God" does not belong in the Constitution": The Globe & Mail, June 11, 1999</ref> Italy has been a secular state since the enactment of the [[Constitution of Italy|Constitution]] in 1948 (stressed by a [[Constitutional Court of Italy|Constitutional court]]'s decision in 1989),<ref>Articles 3, 7, 8, 19, 20 of the Constitution of Italy; Constitutional Court's Decision n. 203/1989</ref> but still recognizes a special status for the [[Catholic Church]]. The reverse progression can also occur, however; a state can go from being secular to being a [[State religion|religious state]], as in the case of [[Iran]] where the secularized [[Pahlavi dynasty|Imperial State of Iran]] was replaced by an [[Islamic Republic]]. Nonetheless, the last 250 years has seen a trend towards secularism.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.harrisinteractive.com/news/allnewsbydate.asp?NewsID=1131 |title=Harris Interactive: Resource Not Found |access-date=18 March 2015 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130723125147/http://www.harrisinteractive.com/news/allnewsbydate.asp?NewsID=1131 |archive-date=23 July 2013 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://people-press.org/reports/display.php3?ReportID=300|title=A Portrait of "Generation Next"|date=9 January 2007|work=Pew Research Center for the People and the Press|access-date=18 March 2015|archive-date=24 May 2008|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080524055917/http://people-press.org/reports/display.php3?ReportID=300|url-status=dead}}</ref>