A state religion (also called an established church or state church) is a religious body or creed officially endorsed by the state. The term state church is associated with Christianity, and is sometimes used to denote a specific national branch of Christianity. Closely related to state churches are what sociologists call ecclesiae, though the two are slightly different. State religions are examples of the official or government-sanctioned establishment of religion, as distinct from theocracy.

Types of state churches

The degree and nature of state backing for denomination or creed designated as a state religion can vary. It can range from mere endorsement and financial support, with freedom for other faiths to practice, to prohibiting any competing religious body from operating and persecuting the followers of other sects. 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, 1555.

In some cases, a state may have a set of state-sponsored religious denominations that it funds; such is the case in Alsace-Moselle in France, following the pattern in Germany.

In some communist states, notably the People's Republic of China, the state sponsors religious organizations, and activities outside those state-sponsored religious organizations are met with various degrees of official disapproval. In these cases, state religions are widely seen as efforts by the state to prevent alternate sources of authority.

Sociology of state churches

Sociologists refer to mainstream non-state religions as denominations. State religions tend to admit a larger variety of opinion within them than denominations. Denominations encountering major differences of opinion within themselves are likely to split; this option is not open for most state churches, so they tend to try to integrate differing opinions within themselves.

However, state churches have divided, with the dissidents losing the advantages of state support; the Church of Scotland which has split several times in the past for doctrinal reasons, including the meaning and acceptability of state support. Its largest offshoots were the Free Church of Scotland and the United Free Church of Scotland. These offshoots did lose the established status of their parent, but since 1929 the reunited Church of Scotland has considered itself to be a "national church" rather than an established church, as it is entirely independent of state control in matters spiritual.

Many sociologists now consider the effect of a state church as analogous to a chartered monopoly in religion.

Where state religions exist, it is usually true the majority of residents are officially considered adherents; however, much of this support is little more than nominal; many members of the church rarely attend it. But the population's allegiance towards the state religion is often strong enough to

A denomination's status as official religion does not always imply that the jurisdiction prohibits the existence or operation of other sects or religious bodies. It all depends upon the government and the level of tolerance the citizens of that country have for each other. Some countries with official religions have laws that guarantee the freedom of worship, full liberty of conscience, and places of worship for all citizens; and implement those laws than other countries that do not have an official or established state religion.

Disestablishment

See also secular state.

Disestablishment is the process of divesting a church of its status as an organ of the state. In Britain there was a campaign by Liberals, dissenters and nonconformists to disestablish the Church of England in the late 19th century; it failed in England, but demands for the measure persist to this day. The Church of Ireland was disestablished in 1869 and the Church of England was disestablished in Wales in 1920, becoming the Church in Wales. Those who wish to continue with an established church take a position of antidisestablishmentarianism.

The First Amendment to the US Constitution explicitly bans the federal government from setting up a state church. This did not, when ratified, prevent state governments from establishing a church, and Connecticut continued to do so until she replaced her colonial Charter with the Connecticut Constitution of 1818. The Fourteenth Amendment forbids the states to violate the rights of citizens of the United States, those rights defended by the Constitution against the Federal Government; and thus prohibits state establishments also. The exact boundaries of this prohibition are still disputed and are a frequent source of cases before the US Supreme Court, especially as the court must reconcile the establishment clause of the First Amendment with the clause that prohibits restraints on the free exercise of religion. All present State Constitutions also include a clause parallel to the First Amendment.

Christian countries

The following states recognize some form of Christianity as their official religion (by denomination):

Roman Catholic

Jurisdictions which recognize Catholicism as their official religion:

• Argentina
• Bolivia
• Costa Rica
• El Salvador
• Liechtenstein
• Malta
• Monaco
• Some cantons of Switzerland
• Vatican City

Eastern Orthodox

Jurisdictions which recognize one of the Eastern Orthodox Churches as their official religion:

• Cyprus
• Finland (along with the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Finland)
• Georgia - the Georgian Orthodox Church is the de-facto state religion, receiving more rights through law than other religions and being recognised constitutionally for its importance in Georgian history, yet not being explicitly designated as the official religion.
• Greece

The Russian Federation recognizes the Russian Orthodox Church, the main sub-branch of the greater Eastern Orthodox Church, as well as Buddhism, Judaism, and Islam as all "official" and "indigenous" to Russian soil.

Lutheran

Jurisdictions which recognize a Lutheran church as their official religion:

• Denmark
• Iceland
• Norway
• Finland (along with the Finnish Orthodox Church)

Until 2000, Sweden had the localized Lutheran Church as a state church. The Church of Sweden has now been relegated to the status of a national church.

Anglican

Jurisdictions which recognise an Anglican church as their state religion:

• England (as
  
  
  
  part of the greater United Kingdom) - Church of England

Reformed

Jurisdictions which recognize a Reformed church as their official religion:

• Some cantons of Switzerland

Presbyterian

Jurisdictions which recognize a Presbyterian church as their official religion:

• Scotland - The Church of Scotland is the national church. Prior to 1929, it was also the established church.

Islamic states

Countries which recognize Islam as their official religion:

• Afghanistan
• Algeria
• Bahrain
• Bangladesh
• Brunei
• Comoros - constitution does not mention of any official religion, but recognises the Islamic faith as the main source of legislation and bans other religions from proselytising.
• Egypt - recognises Islamic Shari'a as a main source of legislation however makes no mention of Islam as the state religion.
• Iran
• Iraq
• Jordan
• Kuwait
• Libya
• Malaysia
• Maldives
• Mauritania
• Morocco
• Oman
• Pakistan
• Qatar
• Saudi Arabia
• Somalia
• Tunisia
• United Arab Emirates
• Yemen

States which recognize specifically Sunni Islam as their official religion:

• Algeria
• Saudi Arabia (as state-sanctioned religion)
• Somalia

States which recognize specifically Shia Islam as their official religion:

• Iran (as state-sanctioned religion)

The Republic of Lebanon recognizes sixteen religious sects belonging to Christianity and Islam, in addition to Judaism. However there is no particular state religion. According to the constitution, the president of the Republic must necessarily be a Maronite Catholic Christian.

Buddhist states

Countries which recognize Buddhism as their official religion:

• Bhutan (Drukpa Kagyu school of Tibetan Buddhism)
• Cambodia (Theravada Buddhism)
• Kalmykia, a republic within the Russian Federation (Tibetan Buddhism - sole Buddhist entity in Europe)
• Thailand (Theravada Buddhism)
• Tibet (government-in-exile) (Gelugpa school of Tibetan Buddhism)

Hindu states

There are no countries that explicitly recognise Hinduism as their official religion. In the Constitution of Nepal, however, the country is referred to as the "Hindu Kingdom", even though Hinduism is not mentioned as the state religion.

Jewish states

• Israel

Note: Officially, Israel has no state religion or established church. A few personal status laws, in particular regarding marriage and divorce, are governed by state-recognized Jewish, Muslim, Christian, and Druze authorities. As the Jewish state, however, its de facto state religion is Judaism.

Secular states

Secular states do not profess any state religion and attempt to treat all religions equally. Countries which are officially secular:

• Australia
• Azerbaijan
• Canada
• France
• India
• Japan
• South Korea
• Turkey
• United States of America

Established churches and former state churches in Europe

In 1967, the Albanian government made atheism the "state religion". This designation remained in effect until 1991.

Finland's State Church was the Church of Sweden until 1809. As an autonomous Grand Duchy under Russia 1809-1917, Finland retained the Lutheran State Church system, and a national church separate from Sweden was established. Since the independence in 1917, both the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Finland and the Finnish Orthodox Church have got a constitutionally established special status.

Former state churches in British North America

In several colonies, the establishment ceased to exist in practice at the Revolution, about 1776; this is the date of legal abolition.

Replaced by a system which required every man to belong to a church, and permitted each church to tax its members. This was not, in theory, an establishment; but was sufficiently oppressive in practice, to be abolished in 1833.

Religious Tolerance for Catholics with an Established Church of England were policy in the former Spanish Colonies of East and West Florida while under British rule.

East Florida was lost to Spain in 1781, hence the disestablishment date.

Religious tolerance for Catholics with an established Church of England were policy in the former Spanish Colonies of East and West Florida while under British rule.East Florida was returned to Spain in 1783, hence the disestablishment date.

References

• for United States

See also

• Civil religion
• Political religion Statskirke

Staatsreligion Staatsgodsdienst 国家宗教 Statskirke Religia państwowa Statsreligion 國教