Nations with state religions:      Theravada Buddhism or Vajrayana Buddhism      Islam      Shi'a Islam      Sunni Islam      Orthodox Christianity      Protestantism      Roman Catholicism

A state religion (also called an official religion, established church or state church) is a religious body or creed officially endorsed by the state. A religion is a set of Tenets and practices often centered upon specific Supernatural and moral claims about Reality, the Cosmos Religion in North America spans the period of Native American dwelling European settlement and the present day Religion in Canada encompases a wide range of groups and Canada has no Official religion. Lightmatter Hsi Lai Temple 4jpg|thumb|200px| Hsi Lai Temple (lit Unlike some other Latin American countries Mexico has no official Religion, and the Constitution of 1917 and the anti-clerical laws imposed limitations Religion in Cuba reflects the island’s diverse cultural elements The many kinds of religion in the Dominican Republic have been growing and changing Trinidad and Tobago is a multi-religious Nation. The largest religious groups are the Roman Catholics and Hindus; the Anglicans, Religion in Nicaragua is a significant part of the culture of Nicaragua and forms part of the constitution. Status of religious freedom in Colombia|Christianity in Colombia|Protestants in Colombia|Roman Catholicism in Colombia|Islam in Colombia The Religion According to the 1993 Census 89% of the Peruvian population over 12 years old declared themselves as Catholics 6 The Roman Catholic church has a dominant presence in religion in Bolivia. Religion in Brazil is very diversified although over seventy percent of the population declared being Roman Catholic in the last IBGE A majority of the population of Argentina is nominally Roman Catholic. Current Situation According to article 24 of the Paraguayan Constitution of 1992 freedom of religion is recognised and there is no official religion Religion in Iceland was initially the Norse paganism that was commonly believed by Vikings (from 874 to 1000 2006 Census The 2006 census showed the following results Eurobarometer Poll 2005 According to the most recent Eurobarometer Poll 2005 This article is about the development of religion in the United Kingdom (UK since its formation in 1707 The most predominant religion in Portugal is Roman Catholicism. Today Roman Catholicism is the largest Religion in the country Catholicism is by far the largest religious group in Italy (Catholics make up for the 87 France is a secular country where Freedom of thought and of religion are preserved in virtue of the 1789 Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Historically the Netherlands is characterized by multitude of Religions Although religious diversity remains to the present day there is a major decline of religious A 2006 inquiry in Flanders, long considered more religious than the Brussels or Wallonia regions in Belgium, showed 55% of its inhabitants calling Christianity is the largest religion in Germany with 59981000 (73 Switzerland has no country-wide State religion, though most of the cantons (except for Geneva and Neuchâtel) recognize official churches ( There are many active religions in Luxembourg. The most important in terms of size of congregation and historical importance is Roman Catholicism, but the state Adherence Figures Among religions in Austria, Roman Catholic Christianity is the predominant one Of the religions in Denmark, the most prominent is the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Denmark which is the official state religion Sweden was pagan before the 11th century, when the country underwent Christianization. Religion in Norway is overwhelmingly Protestant ( Evangelical - Lutheran) with 82 Most Finns are members of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Finland (82 Religious denominations in Poland Religion in Poland has changed throughout centuries of History of Poland (see also Historical demography of Poland The Religion in Lithuania is predominantly Catholic reflecting Lithuania's history with a strong presence from other minorities Religion in Moldova is separate from the state The Constitution of the Republic of Moldova provides for freedom of religion and the Government generally respects this right Orthodox Christianity ( Russian: Православие Pravoslavije) is Russia’s traditional religion deemed part of Russia's "historical The majority of Albanians today are either Atheists or Agnostics. Serbia is a multireligious country The dominant religion is Orthodox Christianity (notably the Serbian Orthodox Church) but there are also numerous adherents of Montenegro is a multireligious country Although Orthodox Christianity is the dominant religion there are also numerous adherents of Islam and Catholic Bulgaria has been a traditionally Christian state since the adoption of Christianity in 865 with the dominant confession being Eastern Orthodoxy of the Romania is a Secular state, thus having no National religion. The Eastern Orthodox Christianity is the religion of 95%-98% of the Greek population and is accorded the status of "prevailing religion" in the constitution In the small Mediterranean Island nation of Malta the predominant religion is Roman Catholicism. Religion in Egypt controls many aspects of social life and is endorsed by law Religion in Israel is a central feature of the country and plays a major role in shaping Israeli culture and lifestyle Lebanon has several different main religions The main two Religions are Islam ( Sunni, Shia, and Druze) and Christianity The Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan is a majority Muslim country with 88% of the population following Sunni Islam while a small minority of around 2% follow Shia The majority of Armenians follow Christianity, which has existed in Armenia for over 1700 years The religions of Azerbaijan comprise different religious trends spread among the people and ethnic groups residing in the country Most Iranians are Muslims 90% belong to the Shi'a branch of Islam, the official state religion and about 8% belong to the Sunni branch mainly Kurds and Iran's Balochi The major religion is Islam which is practiced by about 95% of Iraqis Membership in a religious community is ordinarily determined by birth Islam is the largest religion of Turkey More than 99 percent of the population is Muslim, mostly Sunni. Religion in Africa is multifaceted Most Africans adhere to either Christianity or Islam. Several religions in Nigeria coexist helping to accentuate regional and ethnic distinctions Religion is an important aspect in the country of Sudan, with most of the country's people being animists, Christians, or Muslims. A large number of religions are traditionally practiced in Ethiopia, the most numerous today being Christianity, Islam, and Animism. The 2002 government census estimated that 82 percent of the population of Seychelles is Roman Catholic and 6 percent is Anglican Religion in Uganda consists of several different Religions which unfortunately accentuate regional and ethnic differences separating people as different rather than Zambia is officially a Christian nation but a wide variety of religious traditions exist Christianity Christianity was first brought to Kenya in the fifteenth century by the Portuguese and spread rapidly during the nineteenth century when it experienced a revival South Africa has a wide mix of religions. Many Religions are represented in the ethnic and regional diversity of South Africa's population Asia is the world's most populous and largest Continents with millions of different peoples following a wide variety of different religions. The majority Religion in Afghanistan is Islam, with over 99% of Afghans being counted as Muslims. A census held by the Pakistan International Bureau indicates that over 96% of the population of Pakistan are Muslims There are small non-Muslim religious groups Christians For information on only the Major religions in India see Major religions in India. Nepal was formerly the world’s only constitutionally declared Hindu state but following the movement for democracy in early 2006 and the breaking of King Gyanendra Sri Lanka's population practices a variety of religions 77% of Sri Lankans are Theravada Buddhists 15% are Hindus 7 The earliest established religions in Vietnam are Mahayana Buddhism, Confucianism, and Daoism (called the "triple religion" or Religion in China has been characterized by Pluralism since the beginning of Chinese history. Religion in Hong Kong is part and parcel of the Culture of Hong Kong. Religion in Macau is diverse there is no state religion the freedom of religion and belief is protected by Macau 's constitutional document the Macau Basic Law A wide diversity of Religions can be found on Taiwan, due to its multicultural history and religious freedom written in the Constitution of the Traditionally religion in North Korea primarily consists of Buddhism and Confucianism, and to a lesser extent Christianity and syncretic Religion in South Korea is dominated by the traditional Buddhist faith and a large and growing Christian population The primary religions in Japan are Buddhism and Shintō (神道 " the way of the gods " Malaysia is a multiconfessional society with slightly more than half of its people being Muslims The internal conflicts the nation has faced have generally been precipitated Singapore is a multi-religious country due to its diverse ethnic mix of peoples originating from various countries There are a number of Religions that exist in the Philippines. Religion plays a major role in life in Indonesia. It is stated in the first principle of the state ideology Pancasila: "belief in the one and only God" Religion in Papua New Guinea is predominantly Christian with traditional Animist and Ancestor worship still found in some places There is no State religion in Australia, the establishment of which is prohibited by the Constitution. Religion in New Zealand was originally dominated by Māori religion in the days before the European colonization. Prior to the introduction of Christianity and other belief systems Fijian religion could be classified in modern terms as forms of animism and divination which strongly affected every aspect of life This article includes major religions only Others could include smaller popular religions as Judaism, Baha'i Faith, Sikhism, et cetera History Origin of the school The Theravāda school is ultimately derived from the Vibhajjavāda (or 'doctrine of analysis' grouping which was a continuation Vajrayana Buddhism is also known as Tantric Buddhism, Tantrayāna, Mantrayana, Mantranaya, Secret Mantra, Esoteric Buddhism and For other meanings including people named 'Islam' see Islam (disambiguation. Sunni Islam is the largest denomination of Islam. Sunni Islam is also referred to as Ahl as-Sunnah wa’l-Jamā‘h (Arabic The Eastern Orthodox Church is the second largest single Christian Communion in the world Protestantism refers to the forms of Christian faith and practice that originated in the 16th century Protestant Reformation. A religion is a set of Tenets and practices often centered upon specific Supernatural and moral claims about Reality, the Cosmos A creed is a statement of Belief — usually Religious belief — or Faith often recited as part of a religious service A state is a political association with effective Sovereignty over a geographic Area and representing a Population. Practically, a state without a state religion is called a secular state. A secular state is a State or Country that is officially neutral in matters of Religion, neither supporting nor opposing any particular religious beliefs The term state church is associated with Christianity, and is sometimes used to denote a specific national branch of Christianity. Christianity ( Greek Χριστιανισμός from the word Xριστός ( Christ)is a monotheistic Religion centered on the life and teachings Closely related to state churches are what sociologists call ecclesiae, though the two are slightly different. Sociology (from Latin: socius "companion" and the suffix -ology "the study of" from Greek λόγος lógos "knowledge" State religions are examples of the official or government-sanctioned establishment of religion, as distinct from theocracy. An established church is a church officially sanctioned and supported by the government of a country e Theocracy is a form of government in which a god or deity is recognized as the supreme civil ruler It is also possible for a national church to become established without being under state control. The term national church is usually a reference to a church organization in Christianity that claims pastoral jurisdiction over a Nation.

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 to 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. Cuius regio eius religio is a phrase in Latin that means "Whose region his Religion " A Treaty is an agreement under International law entered into by actors in international law namely States and International organizations. The Peace of Augsburg was a treaty between Ferdinand I, who replaced his brother Charles V as Holy Roman Emperor, and the forces of the Schmalkaldic In England the monarch imposed Protestantism in 1533, with himself taking the place of the Pope, while in Scotland the Church of Scotland became the established Kirk in opposition to the religion of the ruler. England is a Country which is part of the United Kingdom. Its inhabitants account for more than 83% of the total UK population whilst its mainland Scotland ( Gaelic: Alba) is a Country in northwest Europethat occupies the northern third of the island of Great Britain. The Church of Scotland (Eaglais na h-Alba known informally by its Scots language name The Kirk, is the National church of Scotland.

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. Alsace-Moselle is the current legal name of the Alsace-Lorraine territory the part of France that was part of Germany from 1871 to 1919 (and then This article is about the country For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic France topics. Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany ( ˈbʊndəsʁepuˌbliːk ˈdɔʏtʃlant is a Country in Central Europe.

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. Communist state is a term used by many Political scientists to describe a Form of government in which the State operates under a one-party system Talk People's Republic of China) PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF CHINA ARTICLE GUIDELINES In these cases, state religions are widely seen as efforts by the state to prevent alternate sources of authority.

State church vs state religion

There is also a difference between a "state church" and "state religion". A "state church" is created by a monarch, as in the cases of the Anglican Church, created by Henry VIII or the Church of Sweden, created by Gustav Vasa. See also Anglicanism The Anglican Communion is an international association of national Anglican churches Henry VIII (28 June 1491 &ndash 28 January 1547 was King of England and Lord of Ireland, later King of Ireland and claimant to the Kingdom of The Church of Sweden (Svenska kyrkan Ruoŧa girkui is the largest church in Sweden. Gustav I, born Gustav Eriksson (Colloquial 15th century Upplandic Gösta Jerksson) and later known as Gustav Vasa (12 May 1496 – 29 September An example of "state religion" is Argentina's acceptance of Catholicism as its religion. In the case of the former, the state has absolute control over the church, but in the case of the latter, in this example, the Vatican has control over the church. The Holy See is the episcopal jurisdiction of the Bishop of Rome, commonly known as the Pope, and is the preeminent Episcopal see of the Roman Catholic

Sociology of state churches

Sociologists refer to mainstream non-state religions as denominations. Church (disambiguation A religious denomination is a subgroup within a Religion that operates under a common name tradition and identity 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 has split several times in the past for doctrinal reasons, including the meaning and acceptability of state support. The Church of Scotland (Eaglais na h-Alba known informally by its Scots language name The Kirk, is the National church of Scotland. Attempts by the monarch to impose bishops on the Kirk led to the splitting off of the non-established Scottish Episcopal Church. A bishop is an ordained or consecrated member of the Christian clergy who is generally entrusted with a position of authority and oversight The Scottish Episcopal Church (Eaglais Easbaigeach na h-Alba is a Christian denomination in Scotland and a member of the Anglican Communion, although it Its largest offshoots from a later disruption were the Free Church of Scotland and later the United Free Church of Scotland. The Disruption of 1843 was a Schism within the established Church of Scotland, in which 450 ministers of the Church broke away over the issue of the Church's The United Free Church of Scotland (or ‘UF Church’ is a Scottish Presbyterian denomination formed in 1900 by the union of the United Presbyterian Church of Scotland These offshoots lost the established status of their parent, but since 1929 the (partially) 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. The term national church is usually a reference to a church organization in Christianity that claims pastoral jurisdiction over a Nation. Legally, it remains established.

Many sociologists now consider the effect of a state church as analogous to a chartered monopoly in religion. In Economics, a monopoly (from Greek monos, alone or single + polein, to sell exists when a specific individual or enterprise has sufficient

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 prevent them from joining competing religious groups.

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

Further information: secular state

Disestablishment is the process of divesting a church of its status as an organ of the state. A secular state is a State or Country that is officially neutral in matters of Religion, neither supporting nor opposing any particular religious beliefs In England 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 Liberal Party was one of the two major British political parties from the early 19th century until the rise of the Labour Party in the 1920s and a third party The term dissenter (from the Latin dissentire, “to disagree” labels one who dissents or disagrees in matters of opinion belief etc Nonconformism is the refusal to conform to common standards conventions rules customs traditions norms or laws The Church of England is the officially established Christian church in England, the Mother Church of the worldwide Anglican England is a Country which is part of the United Kingdom. Its inhabitants account for more than 83% of the total UK population whilst its mainland The Church of Ireland was disestablished in 1869 (effective 1871) and the Church of England was disestablished in Wales in 1920, the Church in Wales becoming separated from the Church of England in the process - it had formerly effectively been the Church of England and Wales. The Church of Ireland (Eaglais na hÉireann is an autonomous province of the Anglican Communion, operating across the island of Ireland. The Church in Wales (Yr Eglwys yng Nghymru is a member Church of the Anglican Communion, consisting of six Dioceses in Wales. Those who wish to continue with an established church take a position of antidisestablishmentarianism. Antidisestablishmentarianism (listen to,) is a political position that originated in nineteenth-century Britain, where antidisestablishmentarians were opposed to

The First Amendment to the US Constitution explicitly forbids the U. The Constitution of the United States of America is the supreme Law of the United States. S. federal government from enacting any law respecting a religious establishment, and thus forbids either designating an official church for the United States, or interfering with State and local official churches — which were common when the First Amendment was enacted. The federal government of the United States is the central United States Governmental body established by the United States Constitution. For the government of parliamentary systems see Executive (government. It did not prevent state governments from establishing official churches. A state government ( provincial government in Canada is the Government of a Subnational entity in States with federal Connecticut continued to do so until it replaced its colonial Charter with the Connecticut Constitution of 1818; Massachusetts did not disestablish its official church until 1833, more than forty years after the ratification of the First Amendment; and local official establishments of religion persisted even later. Connecticut ( is a state located in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. The Fundamental Orders were adopted by the Connecticut Colony council on January 14 1638 OS ( January 24 1639 NS Connecticut began as three distinct settlements referred to at the time as 'Colonies' or 'Plantations'

The Fourteenth Amendment to the US Constitution, ratified in 1868, makes no mention of religious establishment, but forbids the states to "abridge the privileges or immunities" of U. The Fourteenth Amendment ( Amendment XIV) to the United States Constitution is one of the post- Civil War Reconstruction Amendments, first The Constitution of the United States of America is the supreme Law of the United States. S. citizens, or to "deprive any person of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law". In the 1947 case of Everson v. Board of Education, the United States Supreme Court held that this later provision incorporates the First Amendment's Establishment Clause as applying to the States, and thereby prohibits state and local religious establishments. Everson v Board of Education, 330 US 1 ( 1947) was the seminal United States Supreme Court case in Establishment Clause law in the Incorporation (of the Bill of Rights is the American legal doctrine by which portions of the Bill of Rights are applied to the states through the 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 now balance, on a state (equivalent to province) level, the First Amendment prohibitions on government establishment of official religions with the First Amendment prohibitions on government interference with the free exercise of religion. The Supreme Court of the United States is the highest judicial body in the United States and leads the federal judiciary. See school prayer for such a controversy in contemporary US politics. School prayer in its most common usage refers to state sanctioned Prayer by students in state Schools.

All current U. S. state constitutions include guarantees of religious liberty parallel to the First Amendment, but eight (Arkansas, Maryland, Massachusetts, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Texas) also contain clauses that prohibit atheists from holding public office. Arkansas ( is a state located in the southern region of the United States. The Commonwealth of Massachusetts ( is a state located in the New England region of the northeastern United States. North Carolina ( is a state located on the Atlantic Seaboard in the southeastern United States The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania ( often colloquially referred to as PA (its abbreviation by natives and Northeasterners is a state located in the Northeastern South Carolina ( is a state in the southern region ( Deep South) of the United States of America. Tennessee ( is a state located in the Southern United States. Texas ( is a state geographically located in the South Central United States and is also known as the Lone Star State. ^[1][2] However, these clauses have been held by the United States Supreme Court to be unenforceable in the 1961 case of Torcaso v. Watkins, where the court ruled unanimously that such clauses constituted a religious test incompatible with First and Fourteenth Amendment protections. The Supreme Court of the United States is the highest judicial body in the United States and leads the federal judiciary. Torcaso v Watkins, was a United States Supreme Court case in which the court reaffirmed that the US Constitution prohibits States and the Federal Government

Present state religions

Currently, the following religions are recognized as state religions in some countries: some form of Christianity, Islam and Buddhism. Christianity ( Greek Χριστιανισμός from the word Xριστός ( Christ)is a monotheistic Religion centered on the life and teachings For other meanings including people named 'Islam' see Islam (disambiguation. Buddhism is a family of beliefs and practices

Christian countries

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

Roman Catholic

Jurisdictions which recognize Roman Catholicism as their state or official religion:

• Argentina
• Bolivia
• Costa Rica
• El Salvador
• Liechtenstein
• Malta
• Monaco
• Slovakia
• Some cantons of Switzerland (state religion):
  • Appenzell Innerrhoden (declared "religion of the people of Appenzell Innerrhoden")
  • Nidwalden
  • Schwyz
  • Uri
• Vatican City (official religion)

Eastern Orthodox

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

• Cyprus (Cypriot Orthodox Church)
• Republic of Moldova (Orthodox Church)
• Greece (Church of Greece)
• Finland: Finnish Orthodox Church has a special relationship with the Finnish state. Christianity ( Greek Χριστιανισμός from the word Xριστός ( Christ)is a monotheistic Religion centered on the life and teachings For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Argentina topics. The Republic of Bolivia (República de Bolivia) named after Simón Bolívar, is a Landlocked country in central South America. Costa Rica, officially the Republic of Costa Rica ( Spanish: Costa Rica or República de Costa Rica,) is a Country in El Salvador ( República de El Salvador,) is a country in Central America. The Principality of Liechtenstein (Fürstentum Liechtenstein) is a tiny doubly landlocked Alpine country in Western Europe, bordered by Switzerland Malta, officially the Republic of Malta (Repubblika ta' Malta is a European Microstate, comprising an Archipelago of three islands For other uses see Monaco (disambiguation Monaco, officially the Principality of Monaco ( French: Principauté de Monaco; Monégasque Slovakia (long form Slovak Republic; Slovak:, long form, is a Landlocked country in Central Europe with a population of over five million The 26 cantons of Switzerland are the states of the Federal state of Switzerland. Appenzell Innerrhoden (German; in English sometimes Appenzell Inner Rhodes) is the smallest canton of Switzerland by population and the second smallest Nidwalden (German) is a canton of Switzerland. It is located in the centre of Switzerland Schwyz ( German) is a canton in central Switzerland between the Alps in the south Lake Lucerne in the east and Lake Zurich Uri (German) is one of the 26 Cantons of Switzerland. It is located in Central Switzerland. Vatican City, officially the State of the Vatican City (Stato della Città del Vaticano is a Landlocked sovereign City-state whose territory The Eastern Orthodox Church is the second largest single Christian Communion in the world Cyprus (Κύπρος transliterated: Kýpros,; Kıbrıs officially the Republic of Cyprus (Κυπριακή Δημοκρατία Kypriakī́ Dīmokratía The ancient Greek Orthodox Church of Cyprus ( Greek: Ekklēsía tês Kýprou) is one of the fourteen or fifteen independent (' autocephalous Moldova, officially the Republic of Moldova ( Republica Moldova) is a Landlocked country in Eastern Europe, located between Romania The Eastern Orthodox Church is the second largest single Christian Communion in the world Greece (Ελλάδα transliterated: Elláda, historically, Ellás,) officially the Hellenic Republic (Ελληνική Δημοκρατία The Church of Greece ( Greek: Ekklēsía tês Helládos, ekliˈsia tis eˈlaðos is one of the fifteen Autocephalous Eastern Orthodox churches Finland, officially the Republic of Finland ( is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of northern Europe. Structure and organization Along with the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Finland the Orthodox Church of Finland has a special position in Finnish law The internal structure of the church is described in the Orthodox Church Act. The church has a power to tax its members and corporations, the majority of which is owned by them. The church does not consider itself a state church, as the state does not have the authority to affect its internal workings or theology.
• Russian Federation: Russian Orthodox Church, one of the four state religions of Russia alongside Judaism, Islam, and Buddhism. Russia (Россия Rossiya) or the Russian Federation ( Rossiyskaya Federatsiya) is a transcontinental Country extending See also Eastern Orthodox Church Structure and organization The Slavic Orthodox Church is organized in a hierarchical structure Judaism (from the Greek Ioudaïsmos, derived from the Hebrew יהודה Yehudah, " Judah " in Hebrew יַהֲדוּת Yahedut For other meanings including people named 'Islam' see Islam (disambiguation. Buddhism is a family of beliefs and practices

Lutheran

Jurisdictions which recognize a Lutheran church as their state religion:

• Denmark (Church of Denmark)
• Iceland (Church of Iceland)
• Norway (Church of Norway)
• Finland: Evangelical Lutheran Church of Finland has a special relationship with the Finnish state, its internal structure being described in a special law, the Church Act. Lutheranism is a major branch of Western Christianity that identifies with the teachings of the sixteenth-century German reformer Martin Luther The Kingdom of Denmark ( ˈd̥ænmɑɡ̊ (archaic ˈd̥anmɑːɡ̊ commonly known as Denmark, is a country in the Scandinavian region of northern Europe The Danish National Church, Church of Denmark or Evangelical Lutheran Church of Denmark ( Danish: Den Danske Folkekirke or Folkekirken Iceland, officially the Republic of Iceland ( ( Ísland or Lýðveldið Ísland ( The National Church of Iceland, or Þjóðkirkjan, formally called the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Iceland, is the State church in Iceland Norway ( Norwegian: Norge ( Bokmål) or Noreg ( Nynorsk) officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Constitutional The Church of Norway ( Den norske kirke in Bokmål or Den norske kyrkja in Nynorsk) is the state church of Norway Finland, officially the Republic of Finland ( is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of northern Europe. The Evangelical Lutheran Church of Finland (in Finnish Suomen evankelis-luterilainen kirkko; in Swedish Evangelisk-lutherska kyrkan The Church Act can be amended only by a decision of the Synod of the Evengelical Lutheran Church and subsequent ratification by the parliament. The church has a power to tax its members and all corporations, except those the majority of which is owned by members of the Finnish Orthodox Church. Structure and organization Along with the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Finland the Orthodox Church of Finland has a special position in Finnish law 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. ^[3] The Finnish president also decides the themes for the 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.

Anglican

Jurisdictions that recognise an Anglican church as their state religion:

• England (Church of England)

Reformed

Jurisdictions which recognize a Reformed church as their state religion:

• Some cantons of Switzerland (Swiss Reformed Church):
  • Aargau
  • Basel-Country
  • Berne
  • Glarus
  • Graubünden
  • Schwyz
  • Thurgau
  • Uri
  • Zurich
• Scotland – the Church of Scotland is the national church, but is not a "state church" and has complete independence from the state in spiritual matters, thus being both established and free. Anglicanism is a tradition of Christian faith Churches in this tradition either have historical connections to the Church of England or have similar beliefs England is a Country which is part of the United Kingdom. Its inhabitants account for more than 83% of the total UK population whilst its mainland The Church of England is the officially established Christian church in England, the Mother Church of the worldwide Anglican The Reformed churches are a group of Christian Protestant Denominations formally characterized by a similar Calvinist system of doctrine historically The 26 cantons of Switzerland are the states of the Federal state of Switzerland. The Reformed branch of Protestantism in Switzerland was started in Zurich by Huldrych Zwingli and spread within a few years to Basel ( Johannes Oecolampadius) Berne Aargau ( German; rarely anglicized Argovia) is one of the more northerly cantons of Switzerland. Basel-Country ( German:; Swiss German: Basel-Land / Baselbiet) is one of the 26 Cantons of Switzerland. The city of Berne or Bern (, Berne, Berna, Romansh: Berna, Bernese German: Bärn) is the Bundesstadt ( Federal Glarus (German) is the capital of the Canton of Glarus in Switzerland. Graubünden or Grisons ( German:, gʁaʊˈbyndən Italian: Grigioni; Romansh: Grischun) is the largest and easternmost The town of (Schwyz Svitto is the capital of the canton of Schwyz in Switzerland. Thurgau (German, anglicized as Thurgovia) is a northeast canton of Switzerland. Uri (German) is one of the 26 Cantons of Switzerland. It is located in Central Switzerland. The Canton of Zürich (German Kanton) has a population of about 1 Scotland ( Gaelic: Alba) is a Country in northwest Europethat occupies the northern third of the island of Great Britain. The Church of Scotland (Eaglais na h-Alba known informally by its Scots language name The Kirk, is the National church of Scotland. The term national church is usually a reference to a church organization in Christianity that claims pastoral jurisdiction over a Nation. ^{[4]p. 161} The Monarch of the United Kingdom is an ex officio member. TalkCommonewalth realm.--> The monarchy

Old Catholic

Jurisdictions which recognize an Old Catholic church as their state religion:

• Some cantons of Switzerland (Christian Catholic Church of Switzerland):
  • Aargau
  • Basel-Country
  • Berne

Islamic countries

Countries which recognize Islam as their official religion. The Old Catholic Church is a Christian denomination originating with churches (many of them German -speaking that split from the Roman Catholic Church in The 26 cantons of Switzerland are the states of the Federal state of Switzerland. The Christian Catholic Church of Switzerland is the Swiss member church of the Union of Utrecht. Aargau ( German; rarely anglicized Argovia) is one of the more northerly cantons of Switzerland. Basel-Country ( German:; Swiss German: Basel-Land / Baselbiet) is one of the 26 Cantons of Switzerland. The city of Berne or Bern (, Berne, Berna, Romansh: Berna, Bernese German: Bärn) is the Bundesstadt ( Federal For other meanings including people named 'Islam' see Islam (disambiguation. Although the separation of church and state is a concept that originated in a western context, there is the notion of toleration for people of the book in Islam. Separation of church and state is a Political and Legal Doctrine that Government and religious institutions are to be kept separate Religious toleration is the condition of accepting or permitting others' religious beliefs and practices which disagree with one's own This article is about the theological concept in Islam. For the novel by Geraldine Brooks see People of the Book (novel.

• Afghanistan (Islamic state)
• Algeria
• Bahrain
• Bangladesh
• Brunei
• Comoros
• Egypt
• Iran (Islamic state)
• Iraq
• Jordan
• Kuwait
• Libya
• Malaysia
• Maldives
• Mauritania
• Morocco
• Oman
• Pakistan (Islamic state)
• Palestinian National Authority^[5]
• Qatar
• Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic
• Saudi Arabia (Islamic kingdom)
• Somalia
• Somaliland
• Tunisia^[6]
• United Arab Emirates
• Yemen (Islamic state)

Sunni Islam

• Algeria
• Comoros
• Malaysia
• Maldives
• Mauritania
• Pakistan (as national-sanctioned religion)
• Saudi Arabia (as state-sanctioned religion)
• Somalia
• Jordan

Shi'a Islam

• Iran (as state-sanctioned religion)

Buddhism as state religion

Governments which recognize Buddhism, either a specific form of, or the whole, as their official religion:

• Bhutan (Drukpa Kagyu school of Tibetan Buddhism)^[7]
• Cambodia (Theravada Buddhism)^[8]
• Kalmykia, a republic within the Russian Federation (Tibetan Buddhism - sole Buddhist entity in Europe)
• Sri Lanka (Theravada Buddhism - The constitution accords Buddhism the "foremost place," but Buddhism is not recognized as the state religion. Afghanistan /æfˈgænɪstæn/ officially the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan ( Pashto: د افغانستان اسلامي جمهوریت, Algeria ( ar [[Arabic]] الجزائر, Al Jaza'ir ælʤæˈzæːʔir Amazigh: ⴷⵥⴰⵢⴻⵔ Dzayer) officially the People's The Kingdom of Bahrain (in مملكة البحرين,, literally Kingdom of the Two Seas) is an Island country in the Persian Gulf ( Bengali: বাংলাদেশ inc-Latn Bangladesh) officially Brunei Darussalam, (bruːˈnaɪ in English officially the State of Brunei Abode of Peace (Negara Brunei Darussalam Jawi: برني دارالسلام The Comoros (ˈkɒməroʊz; جزر القمر Juzur al-Qumur) officially the Union of the Comoros (Union des Comores الإتّحاد القمريّ This article is about the country of Egypt For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Egypt topics. For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Iran topics. For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Iraq topics. Jordan, officially the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan (الأردنّ al-Urdunn) is an Arab country in Southwest Asia spanning the southern The State of Kuwait ( دولة الكويت IPA [dawlatt̪ alkuwajt̪]) is a sovereign Arab Emirate on the coast of the Persian Gulf, enclosed Libya ( ليبيا ar-Latn Lībiyā; Libyan vernacular: Lībya; Amazigh:) officially the Great Socialist People's Libyan Arab For the biogeographical region see Malesia Malaysia (məˈleɪʒə or /məˈleɪziə/ is a country that consists of thirteen states and The Maldives ( or, or Maldive Islands) officially the Republic of Maldives, is an Island nation consisting of a group of atolls stretching Mauritania (موريتانيا Mūrītāniyā officially the Islamic Republic of Mauritania, is a country Morocco (المغرب "al-Maghrib" officially the Kingdom of Morocco (المملكة المغربية is a country located in North Africa Oman, officially the Sultanate of Oman ( Arabic: سلطنة عُمان) is an Arab Country in Southwest Asia on the southeast Pakistan () officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, is a country located in South Asia, Southwest Asia, Middle East and Qatar ( قطر; ˈqɑtˁɑr local pronunciation giṭar officially the State of Qatar (Arabic دولة قطر transliterated The Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic ( SADR) (' الجمهورية العربية الصحراوية الديمقراطية) is a partially The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, KSA ( المملكة العربية السعودية, al-Mamlaka al-ʻArabiyya as-Suʻūdiyya) or Suudi Somalia ( Soomaaliya; الصومال) officially the Somali Republic ( Jamhuuriyadda Soomaaliya, جمهورية الصومال) and formerly known Tunisia (تونس Tūnis officially the Tunisian Republic ( is a country located in North Africa. Yemen ( Arabic: اليَمَن al-Yaman officially the Republic of Yemen ( Arabic: الجمهورية اليمنية al-Jumhuuriyya Algeria ( ar [[Arabic]] الجزائر, Al Jaza'ir ælʤæˈzæːʔir Amazigh: ⴷⵥⴰⵢⴻⵔ Dzayer) officially the People's The Comoros (ˈkɒməroʊz; جزر القمر Juzur al-Qumur) officially the Union of the Comoros (Union des Comores الإتّحاد القمريّ For the biogeographical region see Malesia Malaysia (məˈleɪʒə or /məˈleɪziə/ is a country that consists of thirteen states and The Maldives ( or, or Maldive Islands) officially the Republic of Maldives, is an Island nation consisting of a group of atolls stretching Mauritania (موريتانيا Mūrītāniyā officially the Islamic Republic of Mauritania, is a country Pakistan () officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, is a country located in South Asia, Southwest Asia, Middle East and The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, KSA ( المملكة العربية السعودية, al-Mamlaka al-ʻArabiyya as-Suʻūdiyya) or Suudi Somalia ( Soomaaliya; الصومال) officially the Somali Republic ( Jamhuuriyadda Soomaaliya, جمهورية الصومال) and formerly known Jordan, officially the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan (الأردنّ al-Urdunn) is an Arab country in Southwest Asia spanning the southern For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Iran topics. Buddhism is a family of beliefs and practices The Kingdom of Bhutan (buːˈtɑːn is a Landlocked nation in South Asia. Drukpa (disambiguation The Drukpa ( Tib. འབྲུག་པ / ’brug pa) Druk ~ "dragon" pa ~ "person" — or Drukpa Kagyu Tibetan Buddhism is the body of Buddhist religious doctrine and institutions characteristic of Tibet and certain regions of the Himalayas, including The Kingdom of Cambodia ( formerly known as Kampuchea (, transliterated: Preăh Réachéanachâkr Kâmpŭchea) is a country in South East History Origin of the school The Theravāda school is ultimately derived from the Vibhajjavāda (or 'doctrine of analysis' grouping which was a continuation The Republic of Kalmykia (Респу́блика Калмы́кия Kalmyk: Хальмг Таңһч is a federal subject of the Russian Federation (a Russia (Россия Rossiya) or the Russian Federation ( Rossiyskaya Federatsiya) is a transcontinental Country extending Tibetan Buddhism is the body of Buddhist religious doctrine and institutions characteristic of Tibet and certain regions of the Himalayas, including Sri Lanka, officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka ( Sinhalese:, இலங்கை known as Ceylon before 1972 is an Island History Origin of the school The Theravāda school is ultimately derived from the Vibhajjavāda (or 'doctrine of analysis' grouping which was a continuation ^[9]
• Thailand (Theravada Buddhism)
• Tibet Government in Exile (Gelugpa school of Tibetan Buddhism)

Additional notes

• Israel is defined in several of its laws as a democratic Jewish state. The Kingdom of Thailand (ˈtaɪlænd ราชอาณาจักรไทย, râːtɕʰa-ʔaːnaːtɕɑ̀k-tʰɑj History Origin of the school The Theravāda school is ultimately derived from the Vibhajjavāda (or 'doctrine of analysis' grouping which was a continuation The Central Tibetan Administration (CTA officially the Central Tibetan Administration of His Holiness the Dalai Lama, is a Government in exile headed by Tenzin The Gelug or Gelug-pa, also known as the Yellow Hat sect, is a school of Buddhism founded by Tsongkhapa (1357–1419 a Philosopher Tibetan Buddhism is the body of Buddhist religious doctrine and institutions characteristic of Tibet and certain regions of the Himalayas, including For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Israel topics. However, the term "Jewish" is a polyseme that can relate equally to the Jewish people or religion. PLEASE TAKE NOTE************ Polysemy ( or) (from the Greek πολυσημεία = "multiple meaning" is the capacity for a sign (e The debate about the meaning of the term Jewish and its legal and social applications (considering that it comes alongside the term "democratic") is one of the most profound issues with which Israeli society deals. Democracy is a form of government in which the supreme power is held completely by the people under a free electoral system At present, there is no specific law or official statement establishing the Jewish religion as the state's religion. However, 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. Orthodox Judaism is the formulation of Judaism that adheres to a relatively strict interpretation and application of the laws and ethics first canonized These are: Jewish and Christian (Eastern Orthodox, Latin [Catholic], Gregorian-Armenian, Armenian-Catholic, Syrian [Catholic], Chaldean [Uniate], Greek Catholic Melkite, Maronite, and Syrian Orthodox). The fact that the Muslim population was not defined as a religious community is a vestige of the Ottoman period during which Islam was the dominant religion and does not affect the rights of the Muslim community to practice their faith. At the end of the period covered by this report, several of these denominations were pending official government recognition; however, the Government has allowed adherents of not officially recognized groups 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 the Bahá'í. The Druze ( Arabic: درزي derzī or durzī, plural دروز durūz) are a religious community found primarily in Syria, Lebanon The Bahá'í Faith is a Religion founded by Bahá'u'lláh in nineteenth-century Persia, emphasizing the spiritual unity of all humankind [1] These groups have their own religious courts as official state courts for personal status matters (see millet system). Millet is an Ottoman Turkish term for a Confessional community in the Ottoman Empire. The structure and goals of the Chief Rabbinate of Israel are governed by Israeli law, but the law does not say explicitly that it is a state Rabbinate. The Chief Rabbinate of Israel ( הרבנות הראשית לישראל) is the supreme Jewish religious governing body in the state of Israel. Non-recognition of other streams of Judaism is the cause of some controversy. As of 2007, there is no civil marriage in Israel, although there is recognition of marriages performed abroad. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century.

• Nepal was once the world's only Hindu state, but has ceased to be so following a declaration by the Parliament in 2006. Nepal (नेपाल) is a Landlocked country in South Asia.

• Many countries indirectly fund the activities of different religious denominations by granting tax-exempt status to churches and religious institutions which qualify as charitable organizations. The definition of charitable organization, and of charity varies according to the country and in some instances the region of the country in which the charitable organization operates ^[10][11] However, these religions are not established as state religions.

Ancient state religions

Egypt and Sumer

The concept of state religions was known as long ago as the empires of Egypt and Sumer, when every city state or people had its own god or gods. This article is about the country of Egypt For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Egypt topics. Sumer ( Sumerian: sux-Latn [[Ki (earth ki]]-[[EN (cuneiform en]]-'''ĝir15''', Akkadian: Šumeru; possibly Biblical Shinar Many of the early Sumerian rulers were priests of their patron city god. Some of the earliest semi-mythological kings may have passed into the pantheon, like Dumuzid, and some later kings came to be viewed as divine soon after their reigns, like Sargon the Great of Akkad. You may be looking for the Assyrian kings Sargon I One of the first rulers to be proclaimed a god during his actual reign was Gudea of Lagash, followed by some later kings of Ur, such as Shulgi. Gudea was a ruler ( ensi) of the city of Lagash in Southern Mesopotamia who ruled ca Lagash ( is modern Tell al-Hiba, Iraq. Located northwest of the junction of the Euphrates and Tigris rivers and east of Uruk Ur ( Sumerian:urim; Akkadian: ?) is modern Tell el-Mukayyar, Iraq, and was a city in ancient Sumer. Shulgi (also formerly read as Dungi) of Urim was the second king of the " Sumerian Renaissance " Often, the state religion was integral to the power base of the reigning government, such as in Egypt, where Pharaohs were often thought of as embodiments of the god Horus.

Persian empire

Zoroastrianism was the state religion of the Sassanid dynasty which lasted until 651, when Persia was conquered by the forces of Islam. Zoroastrianism (ˌzɔroʊˈæstriəˌnɪzəm is the religion and philosophy based on the teachings The Sassanid Empire or Sassanian Dynasty or Sassanian Dynasty (ساسانیان) is the name used for the third Iranian dynasty and the second Persian empire However, it persisted as the state religion of the independent state of Hyrcania until the 15th century. Hyrcania was the the name of a Satrapy located in the territories of present day Golestan, Mazandaran, Gilan and part of Turkmenistan

The tiny kingdom of Adiabene in northern Mesopotamia converted to Judaism around 34 AD. Adiabene (from the Αδιαβηνή Adiabene, itself derived from Aramaic syr ܚܕܝܐܒ Ḥaḏy’aḇ or Ḥḏay’aḇ) was

Greek city-states

Many of the Greek city-states also had a 'god' or 'goddess' associated with that city. This would not be the 'only god' of the city, but the one that received special honors. In ancient Greece the city of Athens had Athena, Sparta had Artemis, Delos had Apollo and Artemis, and Olympia had Zeus. Athens (ˈæθənz Αθήνα Athina,) the Capital and largest city of Greece, dominates the Attica periphery as one of the world's ATHENA was an Antimatter research project that took place at the AD Ring at CERN. The city of Sparta ( Doric Σπάρτα Attic Σπάρτη In Greek mythology, Artemis language|Greek] ( Nominative), ( Genitive))] was the daughter of Zeus and Leto, and the twin sister The island of Delos ( Greek: Δήλος Dhilos) isolated in the centre of the roughly circular ring of islands called the Cyclades, near Mykonos Olympia ( Greek: Olympí'a or Olýmpia, older transliterations Olimpia, Olimbia) a sanctuary of ancient Greece Zeus (zjuːs in Greek: nominative: Zeús /zdeús/ genitive: Diós; Modern Greek /'zefs/ in Greek mythology

Roman Religion and Christianity

In Rome, the office of Pontifex Maximus came to be reserved for the emperor, who was often —declared a 'god' posthumously, or sometimes during his reign. The Pontifex Maximus was the high priest of the Ancient Roman College of Pontiffs. Failure to worship the emperor as a god was at times punishable by death, as the Roman government sought to link emperor worship with loyalty to the Empire. Many Christians and Jews were subject to persecution, torture and death in the Roman Empire, because it was against their beliefs to worship the emperor.

In 311, Emperor Galerius, on his deathbed, declared a religious indulgence to Christians throughout the Roman Empire, focusing on the ending of anti-Christian persecution. Events By Place Roman Empire May 5 — Galerius issues his Edict of Toleration ending Persecution of Christians Galerius Maximianus ( ca. 260&ndashlate April or early May 311 formally Gaius Galerius Valerius Maximianus was Roman Emperor from 305 to 311 Constantine I and Licinius, the two Augusti, by the Edict of Milan of 313, enacted a law allowing religious freedom to everyone within the Roman Empire. Flavius Valerius Aurelius Constantinus (27 February ca. 272 &ndash 22 May 337 commonly known as Constantine I, Constantine the Great, or Saint Constantine For other Romans of this name see Licinius (gens. Valerius Licinianus Licinius (c The Edict of Milan was a letter signed by emperors Constantine and Licinius, that proclaimed Religious toleration in the Roman Empire. Events By Place Roman Empire February — Conference at Milan Constantine issues the Edict of Milan, ending all persecution Furthermore, the Edict of Milan cited that Christians may openly practice their religion unmolested and unrestricted, and provided that properties taken from Christians be returned to them unconditionally. Although the Edict of Milan allowed religious freedom throughout the empire, it did not abolish nor disestablish the Roman state cult (Roman polytheistic paganism). The Edict of Milan was written in such a way as to implore the blessings of the deity.

Constantine called up the First Council of Nicaea in 325, although he was not a baptised Christian until years later. The First Council of Nicaea, held in Nicaea in Bithynia (present-day İznik in Turkey) convoked by the Roman Emperor Constantine Despite enjoying considerable popular support, Christianity was still not the official state religion in Rome, although it was in some neighboring states such as Armenia and Aksum. Armenia (Հայաստան transliterated: Hayastan,) officially the Republic of Armenia (Հայաստանի Հանրապետություն Hayastani The Aksumite Empire or Axumite Empire (sometimes called the Kingdom of Aksum or Axum ( Ge'ez: አክሱም was an important trading

Roman Religion (Neoplatonic Hellenism) was restored for a time by Julian the Apostate from 361 to 363. Ancient Roman religion encompasses the collection of Beliefs and Rituals practised in Ancient Rome in the form of Cult practices Neoplatonism (also Neo-Platonism) is the modern term for a school of religious and mystical Philosophy that took shape in the 3rd century AD founded by Greek religion encompasses the collection of beliefs and rituals practiced in Ancient Greece in the form of both popular public religion and cult practices. Flavius Claudius Julianus, known also as Julian or Julian the Apostate (331 or 332 to 26 June 363) was Roman Emperor (Caesar Julian does not appear to have reinstated the persecutions of the earlier Roman emperors. The Roman Emperor was the ruler of the Roman State during the imperial period (starting at about 27 BC

Catholic Christianity, as opposed to Arianism and other heretical and schismatic groups, was declared to be the state religion of the Roman Empire on February 27, 380^[12] by the decree De Fide Catolica of Emperor Theodosius I. Catholic is an Adjective derived from the Greek adjective '' / 'katholikos' meaning "whole" or "complete". The Roman Empire was the post-Republican phase of the ancient Roman civilization, characterised by an autocratic form of government and large territorial Events 1560 - The Treaty of Berwick, which would expel the French from Scotland, is signed by England and the Congregation Events By Place Roman Empire January / February – Emperor Theodosius I is baptized. Flavius Theodosius (January 11 347 – January 17 395 also called Theodosius I and Theodosius the Great ( Greek: Θεοδόσιος Α΄ ^[13]

Han Dynasty Confucianism and Sui Dynasty Buddhism

In China, the Han Dynasty (206 BC – 220 AD) advocated Confucianism as the de facto state religion, establishing tests based on Confucian texts as an entrance requirement into government service. The Han Dynasty ( 206 BC–220 AD followed the Qin Dynasty and preceded the Three Kingdoms in China. Confucianism ( is a Chinese ethical and philosophical system originally developed from the teachings of the fifth century B The Han emperors appreciated the societal order which is a central concept of Confucianism. Confucianism would continue on as the state religion until the Sui Dynasty (581-618), when it was replaced by Buddhism. The Sui Dynasty ( 581 - 618 AD and in the undertaking of other construction projects including the reconstruction of the Great Wall. Buddhism is a family of beliefs and practices Neo-confucianism returned as the de facto state religion sometime in the 10th century. Neo-Confucianism (/( is a form of Confucianism that was primarily developed during the Song Dynasty, but which can be traced back to Han Yu and Li Note however, there is a debate over whether Confucianism (including Neo-confucianism) is a religion or purely a philosophical system.

Modern era

Empire of Japan

From the Meiji era to the first part of the Showa era, Koshitsu Shinto was established in Japan as the national religion. The, or Meiji era, denotes the 45-year reign of the Meiji Emperor, running in the Gregorian calendar, from 23 October 1868 to 30 July The, or Shōwa era, is the period of Japanese history corresponding to the reign of Emperor Shōwa ( Hirohito) from December 25, 1926 to has been called the State religion of the Empire of Japan. The term was not used until after World War II and in a broad sense is used to classify those Shinto According to this, the emperor of Japan was an arahitogami, an incarnate divinity and the offspring of goddess Amaterasu. The of Japan is the country's Monarch. He is the head of the Japanese Imperial Family. is a Japanese word meaning a kami who is a human being.This word appears first in Kojiki, but is assumed to have been used before this Book. or is in Japanese mythology a sun goddess and perhaps the most important Shinto. As the emperor was, according to the constitution, "head of the empire" and "supreme commander of the Army and the Navy", every Japanese citizen had to obey his will and show absolute loyalty.

States without any state religion

These states do not profess any state religion, and are generally secular or laist. Secularism is generally the assertion that governmental practices or institutions should exist separately from Religion or religious beliefs Laïcité (laisiˈte is the French concept of a Secular society, connoting the absence of religious involvement in government affairs Countries which officially decline to establish any religion include:

• Australia
• Azerbaijan
• Canada
• Chile
• Cuba
• People's Republic of China
• France
• India
• Ireland
• Israel (which considers itself a "democratic Jewish state", although "Jewish" might be construed to refer to the people rather than the religion)
• Jamaica
• Japan (Shinto until end of WWII)
• Kosovo^[14]
• Lebanon (although president must always remain a Maronite Catholic, and prime minister a Sunni Muslim)
• Mexico
• Montenegro
• Nepal (declared a secular state on May 18, 2006, by the newly resumed House of Representatives)
• New Zealand
• Nigeria
• North Korea
• Romania
• Russia
• Singapore
• South Africa
• South Korea
• Spain
• Turkey
• United States
• Venezuela
• Vietnam

Established churches and former state churches

^Note 1:  In 1967, the Albanian government made atheism the "state religion". For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Australia topics. Azerbaijan ( English; Azərbaycan officially the Republic of Azerbaijan (Azərbaycan Respublikası is the largest and most populous country in the South Country to "Dominion of Canada" or "Canadian Federation" or anything else please read the Talk Page Chile, officially the Republic of Chile ( Spanish:) is a country in South America occupying a long and narrow Coastal strip wedged between the The Republic of Cuba (ˈkjuːbə or) consists of the island of Cuba (the largest and second-most populous island of the Greater Antilles) Isla de la Talk People's Republic of China) PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF CHINA ARTICLE GUIDELINES This article is about the country For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic France topics. India, officially the Republic of India (भारत गणराज्य inc-Latn Bhārat Gaṇarājya; see also other Indian languages) is a country Ireland ( Irish: Éire, ˈeːrʲə is a country in north-western Europe. For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Israel topics. PLEASE TAKE NOTE************ Jamaica (ˈdʒəˈmeɪkə} is an Island nation of the Greater Antilles, in length and as much as in width situated in the Caribbean Sea. For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Japan topics. Lebanon (ˈlɛbənɒn Arabic: ar لبنان Lubnān) officially the Republic of Lebanon or Lebanese Republic (ar الجمهورية اللبنانية The United Mexican States ( or commonly Mexico (ˈmɛksɪkoʊ () is a federal constitutional Republic in North America. Montenegro ( British English) Montenegrin / Serbian: PLEASE DO NOT CHANGE THE LANGUAGES WITHOUT CONSENSUS ON THE TALK PAGE! Nepal (नेपाल) is a Landlocked country in South Asia. Events 1152 - Henry II of England marries Eleanor of Aquitaine. Year 2006 ( MMVI) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. New Zealand is an Island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses (the North Island and the South Island Nigeria, officially named the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a federal Constitutional republic comprising thirty-six states and one Federal North Korea is the commonly used short form name for the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (or DPRK) a State located in East Asia, Romania ( dated: Rumania, Roumania Russia (Россия Rossiya) or the Russian Federation ( Rossiyskaya Federatsiya) is a transcontinental Country extending Singapore The Republic of South Africa (also known by other official names) is a country located at the southern tip of the continent of Africa South Korea, officially the Republic of Korea and often referred to as Korea ( Korean: 대한민국 tɛː Spain () or the Kingdom of Spain (Reino de España is a country located mostly in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Turkey (Türkiye known officially as the Republic of Turkey ( is a Eurasian Country that stretches The United States of America —commonly referred to as the Venezuela (ˌvɛnəˈzweɪlə) officially the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela (Spanish República Bolivariana de Venezuela) is a country on the Vietnam (ˌviːɛtˈnɑːm Việt Nam) officially This article is about the country in southern Europe For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Albania topics. Andorra, officially the Principality of Andorra ( Catalan: Principat d'Andorra) is a small Landlocked country in western Catholic is an Adjective derived from the Greek adjective '' / 'katholikos' meaning "whole" or "complete". Anhalt is a historical County (after 1806 Duchy) in central Germany, located between the Harz Mountains and the river Elbe Lutheranism is a major branch of Western Christianity that identifies with the teachings of the sixteenth-century German reformer Martin Luther Year 1918 ( MCMXVIII) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common Armenia (Հայաստան transliterated: Hayastan,) officially the Republic of Armenia (Հայաստանի Հանրապետություն Hayastani The Armenian Apostolic Church (Հայաստանեայց Առաքելական Եկեղեցի Hayasdaneaytz Arakelagan Oriental Orthodoxy is the communion of Eastern Christian Churches that recognize only three Ecumenical councils — the First Council of Nicaea, the Year 1921 ( MCMXXI) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link will display full 1921 calendar of the Gregorian calendar Austria (Österreich ( officially the Republic of Austria (Republik Österreich Catholic is an Adjective derived from the Greek adjective '' / 'katholikos' meaning "whole" or "complete". Year 1918 ( MCMXVIII) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common Baden is a historical state in the southwest of Germany, on the right bank of the Rhine. Catholic is an Adjective derived from the Greek adjective '' / 'katholikos' meaning "whole" or "complete". Lutheranism is a major branch of Western Christianity that identifies with the teachings of the sixteenth-century German reformer Martin Luther Year 1918 ( MCMXVIII) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common Bavaria ( German:, with an area of 70553 Km² (27241 square miles and almost 12 Catholic is an Adjective derived from the Greek adjective '' / 'katholikos' meaning "whole" or "complete". Year 1918 ( MCMXVIII) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common |utc_offset = -2 to -4 |time_zone_DST = BRST |utc_offset_DST = -2 to -5 |cctld Catholic is an Adjective derived from the Greek adjective '' / 'katholikos' meaning "whole" or "complete". Year 1890 ( MDCCCXC) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common Brunswick-Lüneburg (Braunschweig-Lüneburg also Brunswick-Lunenburg was a historical ducal state during the period from the Late Middle Ages through the The Evangelical Lutheran State Church in Brunswick (Evangelisch-Lutherische Landeskirche in Braunschweig is a Lutheran church in the German states of Lower Saxony Lutheranism is a major branch of Western Christianity that identifies with the teachings of the sixteenth-century German reformer Martin Luther Year 1918 ( MCMXVIII) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common The state of Bulgaria (България transliterated bg-Latn ''Balgaria'' The country preserves the traditions (in ethnic name language and alphabet of the First Bulgarian The Bulgarian Orthodox Church (Българска православна църква Bălgarska pravoslavna cărkva) is an Autocephalous Eastern Orthodox Church The Eastern Orthodox Church is the second largest single Christian Communion in the world Year 1946 ( MCMXLVI) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display full 1946 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Chile, officially the Republic of Chile ( Spanish:) is a country in South America occupying a long and narrow Coastal strip wedged between the Catholic is an Adjective derived from the Greek adjective '' / 'katholikos' meaning "whole" or "complete". Year 1925 ( MCMXXV) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. The Republic of Cuba (ˈkjuːbə or) consists of the island of Cuba (the largest and second-most populous island of the Greater Antilles) Isla de la Catholic is an Adjective derived from the Greek adjective '' / 'katholikos' meaning "whole" or "complete". Year 1902 ( MCMII) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link will display calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common year starting Cyprus (Κύπρος transliterated: Kýpros,; Kıbrıs officially the Republic of Cyprus (Κυπριακή Δημοκρατία Kypriakī́ Dīmokratía The ancient Greek Orthodox Church of Cyprus ( Greek: Ekklēsía tês Kýprou) is one of the fourteen or fifteen independent (' autocephalous The Eastern Orthodox Church is the second largest single Christian Communion in the world Also 1977 (album by Ash. Year 1977 ( MCMLXXVII) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link displays Czechoslovakia may also refer to what is now the Czech Republic and Slovakia. Catholic is an Adjective derived from the Greek adjective '' / 'katholikos' meaning "whole" or "complete". Year 1920 ( MCMXX) was a Leap year starting on Thursday (link will display 1920 of the Gregorian calendar The Kingdom of Denmark ( ˈd̥ænmɑɡ̊ (archaic ˈd̥anmɑːɡ̊ commonly known as Denmark, is a country in the Scandinavian region of northern Europe The Danish National Church, Church of Denmark or Evangelical Lutheran Church of Denmark ( Danish: Den Danske Folkekirke or Folkekirken Lutheranism is a major branch of Western Christianity that identifies with the teachings of the sixteenth-century German reformer Martin Luther England is a Country which is part of the United Kingdom. Its inhabitants account for more than 83% of the total UK population whilst its mainland The Church of England is the officially established Christian church in England, the Mother Church of the worldwide Anglican Anglicanism is a tradition of Christian faith Churches in this tradition either have historical connections to the Church of England or have similar beliefs Estonia, officially the Republic of Estonia ( Eesti or Eesti Vabariik) is a Country in Northern Europe in the Baltic region The Church of Estonia or Estonian Apostolic Orthodox Church ( Eesti Apostlik-Õigeusu Kirik) is an autonomous Orthodox church whose primate The Eastern Orthodox Church is the second largest single Christian Communion in the world Year 1940 ( MCMXL) was a Leap year starting on Monday (link will display the full 1940 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Finland, officially the Republic of Finland ( is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of northern Europe. The Evangelical Lutheran Church of Finland (in Finnish Suomen evankelis-luterilainen kirkko; in Swedish Evangelisk-lutherska kyrkan Lutheranism is a major branch of Western Christianity that identifies with the teachings of the sixteenth-century German reformer Martin Luther Year 1870 ( MDCCCLXX) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common Year 1919 ( MCMXIX) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common This article is about the country For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic France topics. Catholic is an Adjective derived from the Greek adjective '' / 'katholikos' meaning "whole" or "complete". Year 1905 ( MCMV) was a Common year starting on Sunday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common year starting Georgia ( საქართველო, Sakartvelo) is a Transcontinental country in the Caucasus region situated at the dividing line between Christianity in ancient and feudal Georgia According to tradition when the Apostles were sent out to preach the Gospel to the nations of the world the Apostle The Eastern Orthodox Church is the second largest single Christian Communion in the world Year 1921 ( MCMXXI) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link will display full 1921 calendar of the Gregorian calendar Greece (Ελλάδα transliterated: Elláda, historically, Ellás,) officially the Hellenic Republic (Ελληνική Δημοκρατία The Church of Greece ( Greek: Ekklēsía tês Helládos, ekliˈsia tis eˈlaðos is one of the fifteen Autocephalous Eastern Orthodox churches The Eastern Orthodox Church is the second largest single Christian Communion in the world Guatemala (República de Guatemala) is a country in Central America bordered by Mexico to the north and west the Pacific Ocean to the southwest Catholic is an Adjective derived from the Greek adjective '' / 'katholikos' meaning "whole" or "complete". Year 1871 ( MDCCCLXXI) was a Common year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common Haiti ( English: ˈheɪ·tiː or haɪ·ˈjiː·tiː French Haïti a·i·ti Haitian Creole: Catholic is an Adjective derived from the Greek adjective '' / 'katholikos' meaning "whole" or "complete". Year 1987 ( MCMLXXXVII) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link displays 1987 Gregorian calendar) Hesse (Hessen is a state of Germany with an area Lutheranism is a major branch of Western Christianity that identifies with the teachings of the sixteenth-century German reformer Martin Luther Year 1918 ( MCMXVIII) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common Hungary (Magyarország 'mɔɟɔrorsaːg) officially in English the Republic of Hungary ( Magyar Köztársaság, literally Magyar (Hungarian Republic Catholic is an Adjective derived from the Greek adjective '' / 'katholikos' meaning "whole" or "complete". Year 1848 ( MDCCCXLVIII) was a Leap year starting on Saturday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian Calendar (or a Leap Iceland, officially the Republic of Iceland ( ( Ísland or Lýðveldið Ísland ( The National Church of Iceland, or Þjóðkirkjan, formally called the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Iceland, is the State church in Iceland Lutheranism is a major branch of Western Christianity that identifies with the teachings of the sixteenth-century German reformer Martin Luther Ireland (pronounced /ˈaɾlənd/ Éire) is the third largest island in Europe, and the twentieth-largest island in the world The Church of Ireland (Eaglais na hÉireann is an autonomous province of the Anglican Communion, operating across the island of Ireland. Anglicanism is a tradition of Christian faith Churches in this tradition either have historical connections to the Church of England or have similar beliefs Year 1871 ( MDCCCLXXI) was a Common year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common Italy (Italia officially the Italian Republic, (Repubblica Italiana is located on the Italian Peninsula in Southern Europe, and on the two largest Catholic is an Adjective derived from the Greek adjective '' / 'katholikos' meaning "whole" or "complete". Year 1984 ( MCMLXXXIV) was a Leap year starting on Sunday (link displays the 1984 Gregorian calendar) Lebanon (ˈlɛbənɒn Arabic: ar لبنان Lubnān) officially the Republic of Lebanon or Lebanese Republic (ar الجمهورية اللبنانية Maronites ( الموارنة,, Syriac: ܡܪܘܢܝܐ, Latin: Ecclesia Maronitarum) are members of one of the Syriac For other meanings including people named 'Islam' see Islam (disambiguation. Catholic is an Adjective derived from the Greek adjective '' / 'katholikos' meaning "whole" or "complete". For other meanings including people named 'Islam' see Islam (disambiguation. The Principality of Liechtenstein (Fürstentum Liechtenstein) is a tiny doubly landlocked Alpine country in Western Europe, bordered by Switzerland Catholic is an Adjective derived from the Greek adjective '' / 'katholikos' meaning "whole" or "complete". This article is about the district Lippe. For the like-named river see Lippe River. The Reformed churches are a group of Christian Protestant Denominations formally characterized by a similar Calvinist system of doctrine historically Year 1918 ( MCMXVIII) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common Lithuania, officially the Republic of Lithuania (Lietuvos Respublika is a Country in Eastern often referred to as Northern Europe or in the Catholic is an Adjective derived from the Greek adjective '' / 'katholikos' meaning "whole" or "complete". Year 1940 ( MCMXL) was a Leap year starting on Monday (link will display the full 1940 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Lübeck ( is the second largest City in Schleswig-Holstein, in Northern Germany, and one of the major Lutheranism is a major branch of Western Christianity that identifies with the teachings of the sixteenth-century German reformer Martin Luther Year 1918 ( MCMXVIII) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common Luxembourg (Groussherzogtum Lëtzebuerg Grand-Duché de Luxembourg Großherzogtum Luxemburg is a small Landlocked country in Western Europe, bordered by Catholic is an Adjective derived from the Greek adjective '' / 'katholikos' meaning "whole" or "complete". The Republic of Macedonia (Република History Origins After the fall of the First Bulgarian Empire, the Emperor Basil II acknowledged the autocephalous status of the Bulgarian The Eastern Orthodox Church is the second largest single Christian Communion in the world Malta, officially the Republic of Malta (Repubblika ta' Malta is a European Microstate, comprising an Archipelago of three islands Catholic is an Adjective derived from the Greek adjective '' / 'katholikos' meaning "whole" or "complete". Mecklenburg ( Low German: Mekelnborg) is a region in northern Germany comprising the western and larger part of the federal state Mecklenburg-Vorpommern The Evangelical Lutheran State Church of Mecklenburg (abbr ELLM) is a Protestant church in the German state of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, serving Lutheranism is a major branch of Western Christianity that identifies with the teachings of the sixteenth-century German reformer Martin Luther Year 1918 ( MCMXVIII) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common The United Mexican States ( or commonly Mexico (ˈmɛksɪkoʊ () is a federal constitutional Republic in North America. Catholic is an Adjective derived from the Greek adjective '' / 'katholikos' meaning "whole" or "complete". Year 1874 ( MDCCCLXXIV) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common For other uses see Monaco (disambiguation Monaco, officially the Principality of Monaco ( French: Principauté de Monaco; Monégasque Catholic is an Adjective derived from the Greek adjective '' / 'katholikos' meaning "whole" or "complete". Mongolia (mɒŋˈɡoʊliə, literally Mongol country/nation,) is a Landlocked Country in East Buddhism is a family of beliefs and practices Year 1926 ( MCMXXVI) was a Common year starting on Friday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. The Netherlands ( Dutch:, ˈnedərlɑnt is the European part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, which consists of the Netherlands the Netherlands Dutch Reformed Church (in Dutch: Nederlandse Hervormde Kerk or NHK was one of many branches of churches coming out of the Protestant Reformation in Europe The Reformed churches are a group of Christian Protestant Denominations formally characterized by a similar Calvinist system of doctrine historically Year 1795 ( MDCCXCV) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Norway ( Norwegian: Norge ( Bokmål) or Noreg ( Nynorsk) officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Constitutional The Church of Norway ( Den norske kirke in Bokmål or Den norske kyrkja in Nynorsk) is the state church of Norway Lutheranism is a major branch of Western Christianity that identifies with the teachings of the sixteenth-century German reformer Martin Luther ||-||-||-||} Oldenburg ( Low German: Ollnborg) is an Independent City in Lower Saxony, Germany. Evangelical Lutheran Church of Oldenburg is a Protestant church in the German state of Lower Saxony. Lutheranism is a major branch of Western Christianity that identifies with the teachings of the sixteenth-century German reformer Martin Luther Year 1918 ( MCMXVIII) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common Panama, officially the Republic of Panama (República de Panamá) is the southernmost country of Central America. Catholic is an Adjective derived from the Greek adjective '' / 'katholikos' meaning "whole" or "complete". Year 1904 ( MCMIV) was a Leap year starting on Friday (link will display calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Leap year starting on The Philippines ( Filipino: Pilipinas, officially known as the Republic of the Philippines (fil ''Republika ng Pilipinas'' RP Catholic is an Adjective derived from the Greek adjective '' / 'katholikos' meaning "whole" or "complete". Year 1902 ( MCMII) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link will display calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common year starting Poland (Polska officially the Republic of Poland Catholic is an Adjective derived from the Greek adjective '' / 'katholikos' meaning "whole" or "complete". Year 1939 ( MCMXXXIX) was a Common year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Portugal, officially the Portuguese Republic (República Portuguesa is a country on the Iberian Peninsula. Catholic is an Adjective derived from the Greek adjective '' / 'katholikos' meaning "whole" or "complete". Year 1910 ( MCMX) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link will display calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common year starting Prussia ( Latin: Borussia, Prutenia; Prūsija Prūsija Prusy Old Prussian: Prūsa) was most recently a historic state EKD redirects here For the Basque political party see Democracia Cristiana Vasca. Lutheranism is a major branch of Western Christianity that identifies with the teachings of the sixteenth-century German reformer Martin Luther Year 1918 ( MCMXVIII) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common Romania ( dated: Rumania, Roumania The Romanian Orthodox Church ( Biserica Ortodoxă Română in Romanian) is a Autocephalous Eastern Orthodox church The Eastern Orthodox Church is the second largest single Christian Communion in the world Year 1947 ( MCMXLVII) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link will display full 1947 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Russia (Россия Rossiya) or the Russian Federation ( Rossiyskaya Federatsiya) is a transcontinental Country extending See also Eastern Orthodox Church Structure and organization The Slavic Orthodox Church is organized in a hierarchical structure The Eastern Orthodox Church is the second largest single Christian Communion in the world Year 1917 ( MCMXVII) was a Common year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common year The Free State of Thuringia (Freistaat Thüringen is located in central Germany. Lutheranism is a major branch of Western Christianity that identifies with the teachings of the sixteenth-century German reformer Martin Luther Year 1918 ( MCMXVIII) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common The Free State of Saxony (Freistaat Sachsen ˈzaksən Swobodny Stat Sakska is the easternmost federal state of Germany. Lutheranism is a major branch of Western Christianity that identifies with the teachings of the sixteenth-century German reformer Martin Luther Year 1918 ( MCMXVIII) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common Schaumburg-Lippe was a small state in Germany, in the present day state of Lower Saxony, with its capital at Bückeburg. Lutheranism is a major branch of Western Christianity that identifies with the teachings of the sixteenth-century German reformer Martin Luther Year 1918 ( MCMXVIII) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common Scotland ( Gaelic: Alba) is a Country in northwest Europethat occupies the northern third of the island of Great Britain. The Church of Scotland (Eaglais na h-Alba known informally by its Scots language name The Kirk, is the National church of Scotland. Presbyterianism is a family of Christian denominations within the Reformed branch of Protestant Western Christianity Serbia (Србија Srbija) officially the Republic of Serbia (Република Србија Republika Srbija) is a Landlocked Country The Serbian Orthodox Church ( Serbian: Српска Православна Црква / Srpska Pravoslavna Crkva; СПЦ / SPC) or the The Eastern Orthodox Church is the second largest single Christian Communion in the world Spain () or the Kingdom of Spain (Reino de España is a country located mostly in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Catholic is an Adjective derived from the Greek adjective '' / 'katholikos' meaning "whole" or "complete". Year 1978 ( MCMLXXVIII) was a Common year starting on Sunday (link displays the 1978 Gregorian calendar) "Sverige" redirects here For other uses see Sweden (disambiguation and Sverige (disambiguation. The Church of Sweden (Svenska kyrkan Ruoŧa girkui is the largest church in Sweden. Lutheranism is a major branch of Western Christianity that identifies with the teachings of the sixteenth-century German reformer Martin Luther 2000 ( MM) was a Leap year that started on Saturday of the Common Era, in accordance with the Gregorian calendar. Switzerland (English pronunciation; Schweiz Swiss German: Schwyz or Schwiiz Suisse Svizzera Svizra officially the Swiss Confederation Year 1848 ( MDCCCXLVIII) was a Leap year starting on Saturday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian Calendar (or a Leap Turkey (Türkiye known officially as the Republic of Turkey ( is a Eurasian Country that stretches For other meanings including people named 'Islam' see Islam (disambiguation. For other meanings including people named 'Islam' see Islam (disambiguation. Year 1928 ( MCMXXVIII) was a Leap year starting on Sunday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Uruguay.(official full name in República Oriental del Uruguay;, Oriental Republic of Uruguay) is a country located in the southeastern part of South America Catholic is an Adjective derived from the Greek adjective '' / 'katholikos' meaning "whole" or "complete". Year 1919 ( MCMXIX) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common Waldeck (or later Waldeck and Pyrmont) was a sovereign principality in the German Empire and German Confederation and until 1929 a constituent state of Lutheranism is a major branch of Western Christianity that identifies with the teachings of the sixteenth-century German reformer Martin Luther Year 1918 ( MCMXVIII) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common The Church in Wales (Yr Eglwys yng Nghymru is a member Church of the Anglican Communion, consisting of six Dioceses in Wales. Anglicanism is a tradition of Christian faith Churches in this tradition either have historical connections to the Church of England or have similar beliefs Year 1920 ( MCMXX) was a Leap year starting on Thursday (link will display 1920 of the Gregorian calendar Württemberg, formerly known as Wirtemberg, is an area and a former state in Swabia, a region in southwestern Germany. Lutheranism is a major branch of Western Christianity that identifies with the teachings of the sixteenth-century German reformer Martin Luther Year 1918 ( MCMXVIII) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common Year 1967 ( MCMLXVII) was a Common year starting on Sunday (link will display full calendar of the 1967 Gregorian calendar. State atheism is the official promotion of Atheism by a Government, typically by active suppression of Religious freedom and practice This designation remained in effect until 1991. Year 1991 ( MCMXCI) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian Calendar. ^[15]

^Note 2:  Finland's State Church was the Church of Sweden until 1809. The Church of Sweden (Svenska kyrkan Ruoŧa girkui is the largest church in Sweden. Year 1809 ( MDCCCIX) was a Common year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common year As an autonomous Grand Duchy under Russia 1809-1917, Finland retained the Lutheran State Church system, and a state church separate from Sweden, later named the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Finland, was established. The Evangelical Lutheran Church of Finland (in Finnish Suomen evankelis-luterilainen kirkko; in Swedish Evangelisk-lutherska kyrkan It was detached from the state as a separate judicial entity when the new church law came to force in 1870. After Finland had gained independence in 1917, religious freedom was declared in the constitution of 1919 and a separate law on religious freedom in 1922. Year 1917 ( MCMXVII) was a Common year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common year Year 1919 ( MCMXIX) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common Year 1922 ( MCMXXII) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. Through this arrangement, the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Finland lost its position as a state church but gained a constitutional status as a national church alongside with the Finnish Orthodox Church, whose position however is not codified in the constitution. Structure and organization Along with the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Finland the Orthodox Church of Finland has a special position in Finnish law

^Note 3:  In France the Concordat of 1801 made the Roman Catholic, Calvinist and Lutheran churches state-sponsored religions, as well as Judaism. The Concordat of 1801 is a reflection of an agreement between Napoleon Bonaparte and Pope Pius VII that reaffirmed the Roman Catholic Church as the majority Calvinism (sometimes called the Reformed tradition, the Reformed faith, or Reformed theology) is a theological system and an approach to the Lutheranism is a major branch of Western Christianity that identifies with the teachings of the sixteenth-century German reformer Martin Luther Judaism (from the Greek Ioudaïsmos, derived from the Hebrew יהודה Yehudah, " Judah " in Hebrew יַהֲדוּת Yahedut

^Note 4:  In Hungary the constitutional laws of 1848 declared five established churches on equal status: the Roman Catholic, Calvinist, Lutheran, Eastern Orthodox and Unitarian Church. Calvinism (sometimes called the Reformed tradition, the Reformed faith, or Reformed theology) is a theological system and an approach to the Lutheranism is a major branch of Western Christianity that identifies with the teachings of the sixteenth-century German reformer Martin Luther The Eastern Orthodox Church is the second largest single Christian Communion in the world In 1868 the law was ratified again after the Ausgleich. The Austro-Hungarian Compromise of 1867 (Ausgleich Kiegyezés established the Dual Monarchy of Austria-Hungary. In 1895 Judaism was also recognized as the sixth established church. Judaism (from the Greek Ioudaïsmos, derived from the Hebrew יהודה Yehudah, " Judah " in Hebrew יַהֲדוּת Yahedut In 1948 every distinction between the different denominations were abolished.

^Note 5:  Disestablished by the Philippine Organic Act of 1902. Year 1902 ( MCMII) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link will display calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common year starting ^[16]

^Note 6:  The Church of Scotland is "established" in the sense that its system of church courts was set up by Parliament, but over the centuries it has resisted interference by secular authorities. The Church of Scotland Act 1921 recognizes its exclusive authority to decide ecclesiastical issues, and the statute incorporates and accepts the Church's Declaratory Articles as lawful. ^{[4]p. 161}

^Note 7:  The Church in Wales was split from the Church of England in 1920 by Welsh Church Act 1914; at the same time becoming disestablished. The Church in Wales (Yr Eglwys yng Nghymru is a member Church of the Anglican Communion, consisting of six Dioceses in Wales. The Church of England is the officially established Christian church in England, the Mother Church of the worldwide Anglican Year 1920 ( MCMXX) was a Leap year starting on Thursday (link will display 1920 of the Gregorian calendar The Welsh Church Act 1914 is an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom under which the Welsh part of the Church of England was separated

Former state churches in British North America

Protestant colonies

• The colonies of Plymouth, Massachusetts Bay, New Haven, and New Hampshire were founded by Puritan, Calvinist, Protestants. Plymouth Colony (sometimes New Plymouth or The Old Colony) was an English colonial venture in North America from 1620 until 1691 The Massachusetts Bay Colony (sometimes called the Massachusetts Bay Company, for the institution that founded it was an English settlement on the east coast of North America The New Haven Colony was an English colonial venture in present-day Connecticut in North America from 1637 to 1662. The Province of New Hampshire was a crown colony organized on October 7, 1691 during the period of British colonization of the Americas.
• New Netherland was founded by Dutch Reformed Calvinists. New Netherland (Dutch Nieuw-Nederland, Latin Novum Belgium or Nova Belgica) 1614–1674 is the name of the former Dutch territory on the eastern coast Dutch Reformed Church (in Dutch: Nederlandse Hervormde Kerk or NHK was one of many branches of churches coming out of the Protestant Reformation in Europe
• The colonies of New York, Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Georgia were officially Anglican. The Province of New York (1664-1776 (Provincie New York resulted from the capture of the Dutch Republic colony of Provincie Nieuw-Nederland by the The Colony of Virginia (also known frequently as the Virginia Colony and occasionally as the Dominion and Colony of Virginia) was the English colony The Province of North Carolina was originally part of the Province of Carolina, which was chartered by eight Lords Proprietors. The South Carolina Colony was originally part of the Province of Carolina, which was chartered in 1653 The Province of Georgia (also Georgia Colony) was one of the Southern colonies in British North America. Anglicanism is a tradition of Christian faith Churches in this tradition either have historical connections to the Church of England or have similar beliefs

Catholic colonies

• When New France was transferred to Great Britain in 1763, the Roman Catholic Church remained under toleration, but Huguenots were allowed entrance where they had formerly been banned from settlement by Parisian authorities. The Viceroyalty of New France (Nouvelle-France was the area colonized by France in North America during a period extending from the exploration of the See also Kingdom of Great Britain Great Britain (Breatainn Mhòr Prydain Fawr Breten Veur Graet Breetain is the larger of the two main islands The Huguenots were members of the Protestant Reformed Church of France (or French Calvinists) from the sixteenth to the eighteenth
• The Colony of Maryland was founded by a charter granted in 1632 to George Calvert, secretary of state to Charles I, and his son Cecil, both recent converts to Roman Catholicism. The Province of Maryland was an English colony in North America that existed from 1632 until 1776 when it joined the other twelve of the Thirteen colonies Under their leadership many English Catholic gentry families settled in Maryland. However, the colonial government was officially neutral in religious affairs, granting toleration to all Christian groups and enjoining them to avoid actions which antagonized the others. On several occasions low-church dissenters led insurrections which temporarily overthrew the Calvert rule. In 1689, when William and Mary came to the English throne, they acceded to demands to revoke the original royal charter. In 1701 the Anglican Church was established, and in the course of the eighteenth century Maryland Catholics were first barred from public office, then disenfranchised, although not all of the laws passed against them (notably laws restricting property rights and imposing penalties for sending children to be educated in foreign Catholic institutions) were enforced, and some Catholics even continued to hold public office.
• Spanish Florida was ceded to Great Britain in 1763, the British divided Florida into two colonies. Spanish Florida ( Spanish: La Florida) refers to the Spanish Colony of Florida. See also Kingdom of Great Britain Great Britain (Breatainn Mhòr Prydain Fawr Breten Veur Graet Breetain is the larger of the two main islands Both East and West Florida continued a policy of toleration for the Catholic Residents.

Colonies with no established church

• The Province of Pennsylvania was founded by Quakers, but the colony never had an established church. The Province of Pennsylvania, also known as Pennsylvania Colony, was a North American colony granted to William Penn on March 4, 1681
• West Jersey, also founded by Quakers, prohibited any establishment. New Jersey was governed as two distinct provinces East Jersey and West Jersey, for the 28 years between 1674 and 1702.
• Delaware Colony had no established church. Delaware Colony was an English Colony in North America. Settlement From the early Dutch settlement in 1631 to the colony’s
• The Colony of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations, founded by religious dissenters forced to flee the Massachusetts Bay colony, is widely regarded as the first polity to grant religious freedom to all its citizens. Providence Plantation was founded in 1636 by Roger Williams, a theologian independent preacher and linguist on land gifted by the Narragansett sachem Canonicus

Tabular Summary

^Note 1:  In several colonies, the establishment ceased to exist in practice at the Revolution, about 1776;^[17] this is the date of permanent legal abolition. The Colony of Connecticut was an English colony that became the U Congregational churches are Protestant Christian churches practicing Congregationalist church governance, in which each congregation independently The Province of Georgia (also Georgia Colony) was one of the Southern colonies in British North America. The Church of England is the officially established Christian church in England, the Mother Church of the worldwide Anglican The Province of Maryland was an English colony in North America that existed from 1632 until 1776 when it joined the other twelve of the Thirteen colonies The Church of England is the officially established Christian church in England, the Mother Church of the worldwide Anglican The Province of Massachusetts Bay was a crown colony chartered October 7, 1691 in North America by William and Mary, the joint Congregational churches are Protestant Christian churches practicing Congregationalist church governance, in which each congregation independently New Brunswick ( French: Nouveau-Brunswick /nuvobʁɔnzwik/ is one of Canada 's three Maritime provinces and is the only constitutionally The Church of England is the officially established Christian church in England, the Mother Church of the worldwide Anglican The Province of New Hampshire was a crown colony organized on October 7, 1691 during the period of British colonization of the Americas. Congregational churches are Protestant Christian churches practicing Congregationalist church governance, in which each congregation independently Newfoundland and Labrador (ˈnuːfɨn(dlənd ən(d ˈlæbrəˌdɔr (Terre-Neuve-et-Labrador is a province of Canada, the tenth and latest to join the Confederation The Church of England is the officially established Christian church in England, the Mother Church of the worldwide Anglican The Province of North Carolina was originally part of the Province of Carolina, which was chartered by eight Lords Proprietors. The Church of England is the officially established Christian church in England, the Mother Church of the worldwide Anglican Nova Scotia (ˌnəʊvəˈskəʊʃə ( Latin for New Scotland; Alba Nuadh Nouvelle-Écosse is a Canadian province located on Canada 's The Church of England is the officially established Christian church in England, the Mother Church of the worldwide Anglican Prince Edward Island (ˌprɪns ˌɛdwɚd ˈaɪlɨnd ( PEI or P The Church of England is the officially established Christian church in England, the Mother Church of the worldwide Anglican The South Carolina Colony was originally part of the Province of Carolina, which was chartered in 1653 The Church of England is the officially established Christian church in England, the Mother Church of the worldwide Anglican The Province of Upper Canada (French Province du Haut-Canada) was a British colony located in what is now the southern portion of the Province of Ontario The Church of England is the officially established Christian church in England, the Mother Church of the worldwide Anglican West Florida was a region on the north shore of the Gulf of Mexico, which underwent several boundary and sovereignty changes during its history The Church of England is the officially established Christian church in England, the Mother Church of the worldwide Anglican East Florida was originally a part of Spanish Florida. Under the terms of the Treaty of Paris (1763, which ended the Seven Years' War, Spain ceded The Church of England is the officially established Christian church in England, the Mother Church of the worldwide Anglican The Colony of Virginia (also known frequently as the Virginia Colony and occasionally as the Dominion and Colony of Virginia) was the English colony The Church of England is the officially established Christian church in England, the Mother Church of the worldwide Anglican The Caribbean (ˌkærəˡbiən kæ'rəbiən Cariben|Caraïben or Caraïben; Caraïbe or more commonly Antilles; Caribe is a Region consisting The Church of England is the officially established Christian church in England, the Mother Church of the worldwide Anglican In this article the inhabitants of the thirteen colonies that supported the American Revolution are primarily referred to as "Americans" with occasional references to "Patriots" Year 1776 ( MDCCLXXVI) was a Leap year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a

^Note 2:  in 1789 the Georgia Constitution was amended as follows: "Article IV. Section 10. No person within this state shall, upon any pretense, be deprived of the inestimable privilege of worshipping God in any manner agreeable to his own conscience, nor be compelled to attend any place of worship contrary to his own faith and judgment; nor shall he ever be obliged to pay tithes, taxes, or any other rate, for the building or repairing any place of worship, or for the maintenance of any minister or ministry, contrary to what he believes to be right, or hath voluntarily engaged. To do. No one religious society shall ever be established in this state, in preference to another; nor shall any person be denied the enjoyment of any civil right merely on account of his religious principles. "

^Note 3:  From 1780 Massachusetts had a system which required every man to belong to a church, and permitted each church to tax its members, but forbade any law requiring that it be of any particular denomination. This was objected to, as in practice establishing the Congregational Church, the majority denomination, and was abolished in 1833.

^Note 4:  Until 1877 the New Hampshire Constitution required members of the State legislature to be of the Protestant religion.

^Note 5:  The North Carolina Constitution of 1776 disestablished the Anglican church, but until 1835 the NC Constitution allowed only Protestants to hold public office. From 1835-1876 it allowed only Christians (including Catholics) to hold public office. Article VI, Section 8 of the current NC Constitution forbids only atheists from holding public office. ^[18] Such clauses were held by the United States Supreme Court to be unenforceable in the 1961 case of Torcaso v. Watkins, when the court ruled unanimously that such clauses constituted a religious test incompatible with First and Fourteenth Amendment protections. The Supreme Court of the United States is the highest judicial body in the United States and leads the federal judiciary. Torcaso v Watkins, was a United States Supreme Court case in which the court reaffirmed that the US Constitution prohibits States and the Federal Government The First Amendment to the United States Constitution is part of the United States Bill of Rights that expressly prohibits the United States Congress The Fourteenth Amendment ( Amendment XIV) to the United States Constitution is one of the post- Civil War Reconstruction Amendments, first

^Note 6:  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.

^Note 7:  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.

^Note 8:  In Treaty of Paris (1783), which ended the American Revolutionary War, the British ceded both East and West Florida back to Spain (see Spanish Florida). The Treaty of Paris, signed on September 3, 1783, and approved by the Congress of the Confederation on January 14, 1784, formally In this article the inhabitants of the thirteen colonies that supported the American Revolution are primarily referred to as "Americans" with occasional references to "Patriots" Spanish Florida ( Spanish: La Florida) refers to the Spanish Colony of Florida.

^Note 9:  Tithes for the support of the Anglican Church in Virginia were suspended in 1776, and never restored. 1786 is the date of the Virginia Statute of Religious Freedom, which prohibited any coercion to support any religious body. The Virginia Statute for Religious Freedom was written in 1779 by Thomas Jefferson.

State of Deseret

The State of Deseret was a provisional state of the United States, proposed in 1849 by Mormon settlers in Salt Lake City. The State of Deseret was a provisional state of the United States, proposed in 1849 by Mormon settlers in Salt Lake City. A US state is any one of the fifty subnational entities of the United States of America that share Sovereignty with the federal government The United States of America —commonly referred to as the Year 1849 ( MDCCCXLIX) was a Common year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common TalkMormon#Latter Day Saint vs Latter-day Saint --> Mormon Salt Lake City is the Capital and the most populous city of the U The provisional state existed for slightly over two years, but attempts to gain recognition by the United States government floundered for various reasons. The Utah Territory which was then founded was under Mormon control, and repeated attempts to gain statehood met resistance, in part due to concerns over the principle of separation of church and state conflicting with the practice of members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints of placing their highest value on "following counsel" in virtually all matters relating to their church-centered lives. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is the fourth largest Christian denomination in the United States and the largest and most well-known The state of Utah was eventually admitted to the union on January 4, 1896, after the various issues had been resolved. The State of Utah (ˈjuːtɔː or) is a western state of the United States. Events 46 BC - Titus Labienus defeats Julius Caesar in the Battle of Ruspina. Year 1896 ( MDCCCXCVI) was a Leap year starting on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian Calendar (or a Leap year ^[19]

See also

• Civil religion
• Political religion
• Separation of church and state
• Freedom of religion
• Status of religious freedom by country
• Religious toleration

References

External links

• McConnell, Michael W. (2003). "Establishment and Disestablishment at the Founding, Part I: Establishment of Religion". William and Mary Law Review, provided by Questia. com 44 (5): 2105.