The situation in Europe

In contrast to the considerable difficulties, to the point of systematic persecutions, in India, Iraq, China, Arabia and other countries, the Christians of the various European countries enjoy substantial freedom of conscience, worship, and public profession of their faith. That’s what emerges from the 2008 Report of Aid to the Suffering Church (ASC, http://www.kirche-in-not.org) with the title “Religious freedom in the world”, published in recent days in various languages and simultaneously presented in the four capitals of Italy, Spain, France and Germany. ASC, a charity of pontifical right founded after the war to bring aid to Christians persecuted behind the Iron Curtain, has in more recent years extended its activities to other countries and its studies and research to the state of religious freedom in the world. The Report, drawn up by an international team of experts, testifies how much still remains to be done to achieve real respect for freedom of conscience and other fundamental civil liberties, including that of being free to practice one’s own faith. Below we present a résumé of the situation in the various European countries, taken from ASC’s 2008 Report. with the title “Religious freedom in the world”, published in recent days in various languages and simultaneously presented in the four capitals of Italy, Spain, France and Germany. ASC, a charity of pontifical right founded after the war to bring aid to Christians persecuted behind the Iron Curtain, has in more recent years extended its activities to other countries and its studies and research to the state of religious freedom in the world. The Report, drawn up by an international team of experts, testifies how much still remains to be done to achieve real respect for freedom of conscience and other fundamental civil liberties, including that of being free to practice one’s own faith. Below we present a résumé of the situation in the various European countries, taken from ASC’s 2008 Report.Albania: a good situation is registered in this former Communist country, where provision is made for religious freedom and equality of treatment of the various religions by the State. A few cases of intolerance are registered: in particular, the destruction of a cross in northern Albania is cited; it was probably the work of hooligans in a local Islamic settlement.Austria: a Concordat exists with the Catholic Church and special laws regulate the relations of the State with the other confessions. There are three recognized statuses for organized religious groups: “recognized religious society” (at least 2% of the population), “confessional community” (at least 300 members), and religious “association” (regulated by the law on associations).Belarus: Christians amount to 70.3% of the population and formal “religious liberty” is in force, but its exercise is hampered by excessive controls and bureaucratic restrictions. Orthodox, Catholics and Protestants have joined together in a campaign to collect signatures to change the situation.Belgium: religious freedom and “neutral” state education with the option for children to take classes on recognized religions or on “non-confessional moral education”. In 2007 the Buddhist Community was also recognized as a faith and at the same time the Hindu Forum of Belgium began the procedure to obtain state recognition for Hinduism.Bosnia – Herzegovina: formally religious freedom does exist, but in practice Muslims, Catholics and Serb Orthodox communities suffer reciprocal forms of violence and intolerance. A Concordat between Holy See and Government was signed in April 2007.Bulgaria: with 81% of the population Christians and 12% Muslims, the Bible, the Koran and other religious material is freely printed or imported. The problem remains of the integral restitution of properties confiscated under the Communist regime.Croatia: relations between Catholic Church and State are good. But here too problems still persist in restoring church properties confiscated under the Communist regime. There are also some difficulties in inter-religious relations with Jews and Muslims.Czech Republic: 63% Christians, 37% agnostics: that’s the situation in the country, where full religious freedom is in force, even if problems on the restitution of expropriated church property remain. The procedure for the state recognition of schools founded and run by the religious communities is long and cumbersome.Denmark: the constitutional provision that establishes that the Lutheran Evangelical Church is the “Danish National Church”, together with a series of particular privileges and prerogatives, remains in force. The other Christian confessions and other religions are however recognized. Relations with Islam are controversial, also as a consequence of the publication of the cartoons of Mohamed in 2005.Estonia: full religious liberty is guaranteed in a system of separation between Church and State; a “State Church” cannot exist. Religious education may be provided in private schools, courses of ecumenical formation in public schools.Finland: the Evangelical Lutheran Church and the Orthodox Church are both recognized as “State Churches”. But the other confessions and religious groups are free to practice and propagate their own faith.France: some disputes between State and Catholic Church on the confiscation of ecclesiastical properties have not yet been wholly resolved. A strongly secular mentality persists; this, combined with Masonic lodges, obstructs any form of State recognition of the Churches. The Report points out some episodes of tension in relation to Islam, especially threats expressed towards intellectuals and journalists who had drawn attention to the risks of fundamentalism in the country.Germany: wide recognition of religious liberties both at the federal and regional levels. Accords for the teaching of religions in schools are promoted to facilitate the integration of the members of the various faith groups (including Islam).Greece: the Greek Orthodox Church is guaranteed the status as “prevalent confession” with obstacles of administrative and legal nature for the other confessions.Holland: despite firm constitutional guarantees of religious freedom, “cultural pressures” are exerted against Christians and these are translated into “legal discrimination”; e.g. conscientious objectors against abortion tend not to be hired in the medical profession. Tensions also with Muslims following the murder of the film director Theo Van Gogh.Iceland: the Lutheran Evangelical Church is the “State Church” and enjoys state funding. No restrictions on religious freedom exist for the followers of other faiths.Ireland: wide and public recognition, on the basis of the Constitution, of the leading role of Christianity in the history of the Irish people. There is no discrimination towards the other religious confessions. Polygamy is prohibited by the Irish penal code.Italy: full freedom accorded to confessions and religions other than the Catholic Church, which is clearly predominant. Various “agreements” between the State and these confessions are provided and already implemented, while relations between the State and the Catholic Church are regulated by a Concordat.Latvia: wide religious freedom and freedom of cult. The problems of the individual churches or faiths are handled by a special “Ecclesiastical Council”.Liechtenstein: the Catholic Church is the “national Church” and benefits from full protection by the State. The other religious communities, however, are recognized and supported.Lithuania: full religious freedom with recognition for all those churches and confessions that have been present in the country for at least 300 years.Luxembourg: in addition to the Catholic Church, the Jewish Confession, Protestant Churches and the Greek Orthodox Church are also recognized and the salaries of their ministers paid by the State.Macedonia: the Constitution of 1991 establishes full religious freedom, which is generally respected. Some tensions between the Orthodox majority and the Catholic and Greek-Catholic minorities are registered.Malta: the Catholic Church is the “Religion of the Republic” but full religious freedom is in force.Moldavia: though full religious freedom exists, the Orthodox Church enjoys greater privileges that the other religions. Relations between the various churches and confessions are generally amicable.Monaco (Principality of): the Catholic religion is the “State religion”. Full religious freedom is accorded to all faiths.Norway: the Lutheran Evangelical Church is the “State religion” but full freedom for the other faiths exists. Some tensions with Muslims and Jews are reported.Poland: full religious freedom.Portugal : wide religious freedom. The State may finance the construction of non-Catholic churches or other places of worship (rare). Bishops are dissatisfied by curbs on religious assistance in hospitals and prisons and in the mass media.Romania: right to religious freedom. A controversy erupted in 2007 over the case of the Catholic cathedral in Bucharest at risk of collapse due to the building of a skyscraper close to it. Controversies also persist about the restitution of properties confiscated from the churches during the Communist regime.Russia: the Russian Orthodox Church is predominant and supported by the State in various ways, even if religious freedom is proclaimed. Efforts to foster wider and more fruitful ecumenical and interfaith dialogue are proceeding, even if bureaucratic and legal restrictions persist on the activities of clergy, religious and missionaries of other confessions, on their access to and residence in the country.San Marino: religious freedom constitutionally guaranteed.Serbia-Montenegro-Kosovo: wide religious freedom constitutionally guaranteed, even though the Serb-Orthodox majority enjoys particular protection and support by the authorities. Problems remain in relations with minorities in the various territories (especially with the Albanians of Kosovo who claim independence).Slovakia: the State is non-confessional. Religious freedom exists, including that of the presence of foreign missionaries.Slovenia: wide religious freedom. To register, faith communities must have at least one hundred members and must have been active in the country for at least ten years.Spain: full religious liberty exists, even if tensions persist between the government and the Catholic Church after the legalization of homosexual marriages. Problems with the Islamic communities have also arisen.Sweden: wide freedom of worship, but persisting ideological control of secular type on freedom of teaching and education in religious values. A situation of privilege is enjoyed by the Lutheran Church of Sweden of which the King must be a member.Switzerland: religious freedom recognized. Each Canton regulates relations with the various religious confessions.Turkey: the Constitution guarantees freedom of conscience and religious belief, even if the State places the Moslem religion under its particular protection. Various forms of discrimination and legislative or bureaucratic restrictions in practice make life difficult for faiths and confessions other than Islam. Open forms of discrimination against believers who profess themselves Christians also exist, such as non-appointment to public positions. Numerous cases of attacks, threats and violent forms of intimidation, even homicide, against Christians of various denominations.Ukraine: laws on religious freedom and confessional organization were adopted by the ministry of religion three years ago, including tax breaks or other concessions for the use of real estate and structures as non-profit organizations. Difficulties remain in various Catholic and Orthodox communities due to episodes of violence, hostility and division.United Kingdom: the Anglican Church is the official Church of England. The other religious communities are independent of the State and receive no state funding. A latent mistrust of the national institutions in Roman Catholicism persists. Problems are also posed in relations with the Muslim communities due to the risk of extremist minorities (recent terrorist attacks in London).