Experiences of Western Democracies in Dealing with the Legal Position of Churches and Religious Communities

Abstract

The author argues that Europe is characterised by a two-level model with regard to religious freedom: Level A guarantees religious freedom as such while Level B deals with the superstructure of the system. He then analyzes problems found in these two levels. The conclusion - especially regarding level B – is that two clear trends can be identified: the criteria leading to material advantages for and some religious groups tend to become more objective; and the general trend in state policy goes into the direction of extending advantages to an increasing number of churches and religious communities.