Secular state 1460640 224851881 2008-07-10T18:26:32Z Ayjazz 6118156 [[Image:Secularmap.PNG|380px|thumb|right|Countries of the world with [[state religion]]s in red, those without in blue, and those with no data in grey]] A '''secular state''' is a [[state]] or [[country]] that is officially neutral in matters of [[religion]], neither supporting nor opposing any particular religious beliefs or practices. A secular state also treats all its citizens equally regardless of religion, and does not give preferential treatment for a citizen from a particular religion over other religions. Most often it has no [[state religion]] or equivalent. If there is a state religion, this should have only a symbolic meaning, not affecting the ordinary life of its citizens, and especially not making any distinction based on someone's religion. A secular state is defined as protecting ''[[freedom of religion]]'' as pursued in [[secularism|state secularism]]. It is also described to be a state that prevents religion from interfering with state affairs, and prevents religion from controlling government or exercising political power. Laws protect each individual including religious minorities from discrimination on the basis of religion. A secular state is not an [[State atheism|atheistic state]] (e.g. [[Albania]] under [[Enver Hoxha]]), in which the state officially opposes all religious beliefs and practices. In some secular states, there can be a huge majority religion in the population (e.g. [[Turkey]], [[Thailand]], [[India]], [[Nepal]] etc) and in others there may be great religious diversity (e.g. [[India]], [[Lebanon]], etc). Secular states become secular either upon establishment of the state (e.g. [[United States]]) or upon [[secularization]] of the state (e.g. [[France]]). Movements for [[laïcité]] in France and for the [[separation of church and state]] in the United States of America began the evolution of the present secular states. Historically, the process of secularizing states typically involves granting religious freedom, disestablishing state religions, stopping public funds to be used for a religion, freeing the legal system from religious control, opening up the education system, tolerating citizens who change religion, and allowing political leadership to come to power regardless of religious beliefs.<ref>Jean Baubérot [http://www.ambafrance-us.org/atoz/secular.asp THE SECULAR PRINCIPLE]</ref> Public holidays that were originally religious holidays and other traditions are not necessarily affected, and public institutions become safe from being used and abused by religion.{{Fact|date=May 2007}} Not all legally secular are completely secular in practice. In France for example, many Christian [[holy day]]s are official holidays for the public administration, and teachers in [[Catholic school]]s are salaried by the state <ref> Richard Teese, [http://links.jstor.org/sici?sici=0010-4086(198605)30%3A2%3C247%3APSIFEO%3E2.0.CO%3B2-Y Private Schools in France: Evolution of a System], ''[[Comparative Education Review]]'', Vol. 30, No. 2 (May, 1986), pp. 247-259 {{en icon}}</ref>. Many states that nowadays are secular in practice may have legal vestiges of an earlier [[established religion]]. Secularism also has various guises which may coincide with some degree of official religiosity. Thus, in the [[Commonwealth Realms]], the head of state is required to take the [[Coronation Oath Act 1688|Coronation Oath]]<ref> [http://www.royal.gov.uk/output/Page4105.asp Coronation Oath] </ref> swearing to [[defender of the faith|uphold the Protestant faith]]. The United Kingdom also maintains positions in its upper house for 26 senior clergymen of the established Church of England known as the [[Spiritual Peers]].<ref> [http://www.parliament.uk/about/how/members/lords_types.cfm Different types of Lords] </ref> The reverse progression can also occur, a state can go from being secular to a theocracy as in the case of [[Iran]] where the secularizing state of the [[Pahlavi dynasty|Pahlavi dynasts]] was replaced by the [[Islamic Republic]] (list below). Since at one time all states had official religions{{Fact|date=November 2007}} and as the map above shows that the situation has essentially been reversed over the last 250 years, it may be concluded that the global [[secular trend]] is toward [[secularism]] in the modern period. <ref>[http://www.harrisinteractive.com/news/allnewsbydate.asp?NewsID=1131 Harris Interactive | News Room - Religious Views and Beliefs Vary Greatly by Country, According to the Latest Financial Times/Harris Poll<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> <ref>[http://people-press.org/reports/display.php3?ReportID=300 Summary of Findings: A Portrait of "Generation Next"<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> <ref> [http://science.jrank.org/pages/11240/Secularization-Secularism-History-Nature-Secularization-Secularism-1914.html] Secularization and Secularism - History And Nature Of Secularization And Secularism To 1914</ref> ==Contradictions== {{globalize/US}} Some states that claim secularism or have secularism written into a constitution or law have some contradictions where religion intrudes into government. In the United States many presidents hold a Bible while taking the [[Oath of office of the President of the United States|oath of office]] <ref>[http://www.filibustercartoons.com/oaths.htm Inaugurations of the World<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> and add "so help me God" to the end of the oath, although neither one is mentioned in the Constitution. Further, the Constitution itself was doubly dated:<ref>[http://memory.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/r?ammem/hlaw:@field(DOCID+@lit(fr002195)) pp. 663-664 in The Records of the Federal Convention of 1787 [Farrand's Records, Volume 2]</ref> (1) by the Christian calendar for reference, and (2) by the parallel secular calendar in common use then, institutionalized by congressional wording when the Great Seal of the United States was approved on [[June 20]], [[1782]]: “The date underneath (the pyramid) is that of the Declaration of Independence, and the words under it ('Novo Ordo Seclorum'<ref>[http://memory.loc.gov/cgi-bin/ampage?collId=lljc&fileName=022/lljc022.db&recNum=348&itemLink=r?ammem/hlaw:@field(DOCID+@lit(jc022113))%230220349&linkText=1 "A Century of Lawmaking for a New Nation: U.S. Congressional Documents and Debates, 1774 - 1875" at The Library of Congress]</ref>) signify the beginning of the new American Era, which commences from that date”. The 1892 secular [[Pledge of Allegiance]] was altered in 1954 to contain the controversial phrase ''under God''. Many feel this alteration was unjustified and violated the intent of the Founding Fathers, and it is being challenged in court. The United States has religiously motivated political lobby groups including the [[Family Research Council]], [[Christian Voice (USA)|Christian Voice]] and [[Christian Coalition of America]] who aim to "change policy and influence decisions — from the school boards to Washington, DC".<ref>[http://www.cc.org/about.cfm Christian Coalition of America<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> ==List by continent== The following is an incomplete list of officially secular states as of 2007:{{Fact|date=November 2007}} ===Africa=== *{{flag|Angola}}<ref>[http://www.oefre.unibe.ch/law/icl/ao00000_.html#A008_ Article 8 of Constitution]</ref> *{{flag|Benin}}<ref>[http://www.trazibule.fr/anglais/BENIN.txt Article 2 of Constitution]</ref> *{{flag|Botswana}} *{{flag|Burkina Faso}}<ref>[http://209.85.165.104/search?q=cache:IIR9yrUaMFwJ:www.chr.up.ac.za/hr_docs/constitutions/docs/Burkina%2520FasoC%2520(englishsummary)(rev).doc+constitution+burkina+faso&hl=en&ct=clnk&cd=3&gl=us Article 31 of Constitution]</ref> *{{flag|Burundi}}<ref>[http://unpan1.un.org/intradoc/groups/public/documents/CAFRAD/UNPAN004624.pdf Article 1 of Constitution]</ref> *{{flag|Cameroon}}<ref>[http://confinder.richmond.edu/admin/docs/Cameroon.pdf Preamble of Constitution]</ref> *{{flag|Cape Verde}}<ref>[http://capeverde-islands.com/cvconstitution.html Article 48 of Constitution]</ref> *{{flag|Chad}}<ref>[http://209.85.165.104/search?q=cache:4pEtb9MYlp0J:www.chr.up.ac.za/hr_docs/constitutions/docs/ChadC%2520(english%2520summary)(rev).doc&hl=en&ct=clnk&cd=1&gl=us Article 1 of Constitution]</ref> *{{flag|Democratic Republic of the Congo}}<ref>[http://fr.wikisource.org/wiki/Constitution_de_la_R%C3%A9publique_d%C3%A9mocratique_du_Congo#Article_1er Article 1 of Constitution]</ref> *{{flag|Republic of the Congo}}<ref>[http://www.oefre.unibe.ch/law/icl/cf00000_.html#A001_ Article 1 of Constitution]</ref> *{{flag|Ethiopia}}<ref>[http://www.oefre.unibe.ch/law/icl/et00000_.html#A011_ Article 11 of Constitution]</ref> *{{flag|Gabon}}<ref>[http://droit.francophonie.org/doc/html/ga/con/fr/2000/2000dfgacofr1.html Article 2 of Constitution]</ref> *{{flag|The Gambia}}<ref>[http://209.85.165.104/search?q=cache:DFzfUsPbHcgJ:www.chr.up.ac.za/hr_docs/constitutions/docs/The%2520GambiaC(english%2520summary)(rev).doc&hl=en&ct=clnk&cd=1&gl=us Article 1 of Constitution]</ref> *{{flag|Guinea}}<ref>[http://72.14.205.104/search?q=cache:naprnam1pWMJ:unpan1.un.org/intradoc/groups/public/documents/cafrad/unpan002994.pdf&hl=en&ct=clnk&cd=8&gl=us Article 1 of Constitution]</ref> *{{flag|Guinea-Bissau}}<ref>[http://72.14.205.104/search?q=cache:k6-qv_1C2KUJ:www.cicr.org/ihl-nat.nsf/162d151af444ded44125673e00508141/8ff8cad34667b579c1257083002a6fa8/%24FILE/Constitution%2520Guinea%2520Bissau.doc&hl=en&ct=clnk&cd=2&gl=us Article 1 of Constitution]</ref> *{{flag|Liberia}}<ref>[http://www.oefre.unibe.ch/law/icl/li00000_.html#A014_ Article 14 of Constitution]</ref> *{{flag|Mali}}<ref>[http://72.14.205.104/search?q=cache:mZO36FQn_mcJ:confinder.richmond.edu/admin/docs/Mali.pdf&hl=en&ct=clnk&cd=1&gl=us Preamble of Constitution]</ref> *{{flag|Namibia}}<ref>[http://www.servat.unibe.ch/law/icl/wa00000_.html Articles 10, 14, 19 and 21 of Constitution]</ref> *{{flag|Senegal}} *{{flag|South Africa}} *{{flag|Somalia}}<ref>[http://www.civicwebs.com/cwvlib/africa/somalia/1995/reunification/appendix_1.htm Appendix 1: Draft Constitution for the Republic of Somalia<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> ===Americas=== *{{flag|Bolivia}} *{{flag|Brazil}}<ref>[http://www.oefre.unibe.ch/law/icl/br00000_.html#A019_ Article 19 of Constitution]</ref> *{{flag|Canada}}<ref>[[Section Two of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms]]</ref> *{{flag|Chile}} *{{flag|Colombia}} *{{flag|Cuba}}<ref>[http://www.embacubalebanon.com/constite.html Article 8 of Constitution]</ref> *{{flag|Ecuador}} *{{flag|Honduras}}<ref>[http://pdba.georgetown.edu/Constitutions/Honduras/hond05.html Article 77 of the Constitution]</ref><ref>[http://countrystudies.us/honduras/84.htm Summary Honduras Constitutions (English)]</ref> *{{flag|Mexico}}<ref>[http://www.ilstu.edu/class/hist263/docs/1917const.html Article 130 of Constitution]</ref> *{{flag|Paraguay}} *{{flag|Peru}} *{{flag|Uruguay}} *{{flag|Venezuela}} *{{flag|United States of America}}<ref>[[First Amendment to the United States Constitution|First Amendment]]</ref> ===Asia=== *{{Flag|People's Republic of China}}<ref>[http://www.oefre.unibe.ch/law/icl/ch00000_.html#A036_ Article 36 of Constitution]</ref> *{{Flag|India}}<ref>[http://www.oefre.unibe.ch/law/icl/in00000_.html Preamble of Constitution]</ref> *{{Flag|Japan}}<ref>[http://www.oefre.unibe.ch/law/icl/ja00000_.html#A020_ Article 20 of Constitution]</ref> *{{flag|Kazakhstan}}<ref>[http://www.kazakhstanembassy.org.uk/cgi-bin/index/225 Article 1 of Constitution]</ref> *{{Flag|Kyrgyzstan}}<ref>[http://www.coe.int/T/E/Legal_Affairs/Legal_co-operation/Foreigners_and_citizens/Nationality/Documents/National_legislation/Kyrgyzstan%20Constitution%20of%20the%20Kyrghyz%20Republic.asp Article 1 of Constitution]</ref> *{{Flag|Laos}} *{{Flag|Mongolia}} *{{Flag|Nepal}}<ref>[http://www.religiousintelligence.co.uk/news/?NewsID=1471 Religious Intelligence - News - Nepal moves to become a secular republic<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> *{{Flag|North Korea}} *{{Flag|Philippines}}<ref>[http://www.gov.ph/aboutphil/a2.asp Article 2, Section 6 of Constitution]</ref> *{{Flag|Singapore}} *{{Flag|South Korea}}<ref>[http://www.oefre.unibe.ch/law/icl/ks00000_.html#A020_ Article 20 of Constitution]</ref> *{{Flag|Taiwan}} *{{Flag|Tajikistan}} *{{Flag|Thailand}}<ref>[http://www.servat.unibe.ch/law/icl/th00000_.html Section 38 of Constitution]</ref> *{{Flag|Turkmenistan}}<ref>[http://www.turkmenistan.gov.tm/countri/c&konst.html Статья 11]</ref><ref>[http://www.uta.edu/cpsees/TURKCON.htm Article 11 of the Constitution]</ref> *{{Flag|Uzbekistan}} *{{Flag|Vietnam}}<ref>[http://www.servat.unibe.ch/law/icl/vm00000_.html Article 70 of Constitution]</ref> ===Europe=== *{{flag|Albania}}<ref>[http://www.oefre.unibe.ch/law/icl/al00000_.html#A007_ Article 7 of Constitution]</ref> *{{flag|Armenia}}<ref>[http://www.servat.unibe.ch/law/icl/am00000_.html Article 23 of Constitution]</ref> *{{flag|Austria}}<ref>[http://www.servat.unibe.ch/law/icl/au00000_.html Articles 7 and 14 of Constitution]</ref> *{{flag|Azerbaijan}}<ref>[http://www.oefre.unibe.ch/law/icl/aj00000_.html#A007_ Article 7 of Constitution]</ref> *{{flag|Belarus}}<ref>[http://www.oefre.unibe.ch/law/icl/bo00000_.html#A016_ Article 16 of Constitution]</ref> *{{flag|Belgium}}<ref>[http://www.servat.unibe.ch/law/icl/be00000_.html Article 20 of Constitution]</ref> *{{flag|Bosnia and Herzegovina}} *{{flag|Bulgaria}} *{{flag|Croatia}}<ref>[http://www.oefre.unibe.ch/law/icl/hr00000_.html#A041_ Article 41 of Constitution]</ref> *{{flag|Cyprus}}<ref>[http://www.oefre.unibe.ch/law/icl/cy00000_.html#A018_ Article 18 of Constitution]</ref> **{{flag|Northern Cyprus}}<ref>[http://www.cypnet.com/.ncyprus/main/polsyst/constitution/ Article 1 of Constitution]</ref> *{{flag|Czech Republic}}<ref>[http://angl.concourt.cz/angl_verze/rights.php Article 2 of the Charter of Fundamental Rights and Basic Freedoms]</ref> *{{flag|Estonia}}<ref>[http://www.oefre.unibe.ch/law/icl/en00000_.html#A040_ Article 40 of Constitution]</ref> *{{flag|Finland}} *{{flag|France}}<ref>[http://www.oefre.unibe.ch/law/icl/fr00000_.html#A002_ Article 2 of Constitution]</ref> *{{flag|Georgia}}<ref>[http://www.friends-partners.org/oldfriends/constitution/constitution.georgia.html Article 9 of Constitution]</ref> *{{flag|Germany}}<ref>[http://www3.assembly.go.kr/file/10010002352000100504481.htm#A140_ Article 140 of Constitution]</ref> *{{flag|Hungary}}<ref>[http://www.oefre.unibe.ch/law/icl/hu00000_.html#A060_ Article 60 of Constitution]</ref> *{{flag|Ireland}}<ref>[http://www.state.gov/g/drl/rls/hrrpt/2000/eur/785.htm U.S. Department of State - Ireland] (''The Constitution provides for freedom of religion, and the Government does not hamper the teaching or practice of any faith. Even though overwhelmingly Roman Catholic, Ireland has no state religion.'')</ref> *{{flag|Italy}}<ref>[http://www.state.gov/g/drl/rls/irf/2005/51560.htm US governmental report] ([[International Religious Freedom Report 2005]]) {{en icon}}</ref> *{{flag|Latvia}}<ref>[http://www.oefre.unibe.ch/law/icl/lg00000_.html#A099_ Article 99 of Constitution]</ref> *{{flag|Lithuania}} *{{flag|Luxembourg}} *{{flag|Macedonia}} *{{flag|Moldova}} *{{flag|Montenegro}} *{{flag|Netherlands}} *{{flag|Poland}}<ref>But [[Concordat of 1993]] ratified in 1998</ref> *{{flag|Portugal}}<ref>[http://www.parlamento.pt/ingles/cons_leg/Constitution_VII_revisao_definitive.doc Article 41 of Constitution]</ref> *{{flag|Romania}} *{{flag|Russian Federation}}<ref>Article 14 of Constitution</ref> *{{flag|Serbia}} *{{flag|Slovakia}}<ref>[http://www.concourt.sk/en/A_ustava/ustava_a.pdf Article 1 of Constitution]</ref> *{{flag|Slovenia}} *{{flag|Spain}} *{{flag|Sweden}}<ref>The Swedish head of state must according to the [[Swedish Act of Succession]] adhere to the [[Augsburg Confession]]</ref> *{{flag|Switzerland}} *{{flag|Turkey}}<ref>[http://ookgm.meb.gov.tr/Mevzuat_htm/Anayasa.htm Article 2 of Constitution]</ref> *{{flag|Ukraine}}<ref>Article 35 of Constitution</ref> ===Oceania=== *{{flag|Australia}}<ref>[http://www.oefre.unibe.ch/law/icl/as00000_.html#S116_ Section 116 of Constitution]</ref> *{{flag|Federated States of Micronesia}}<ref>[http://www.fsmlaw.org/fsm/constitution/constitution.htm Section IV Article 2 of Constitution]</ref> *{{flag|New Zealand}} ==Former secular states== *{{flag|Bangladesh}} - Proclaimed a secular republic upon independence in 1971, President [[Hossain Mohammad Ershad|Hossain Ershad]] instituted Islam as state religion by the eight amendment to the constitution (passed in June 1988), citing the need to do so to combat any rise in fundamentalist and/or extremist militant movements. *{{flag|Iran}} - Became a secular state in 1925 after [[Reza Pahlavi]] was installed as Shah. Islam was re-instituted as the state religion in December 1979 following the adoption of a new constitution. *{{flag|Iraq}} ([http://www.usatoday.com/news/world/iraq/2005-08-24-iraqi-constitution-draft_x.htm Chapter 1, Article 2 of the 2005 Constitution], constitution is subject to review by the Constitutional Review Committee and a possible public referendum in 2007) *{{flag|Madagascar}} (1960-2007) [http://www.madagascar-presidency.gov.mg/index.php/view/news/item/584 Constitution with "laïc" removed] ==See also== *[[Secularism]] *[[Secular education]] *[[Civil religion]] *[[Laïcité]] ==Notes== {{reflist|3}} [[Category:Secularism]] [[Category:Separation of church and state]] [[Category:Religion and politics]] [[ar:دولة علمانية]] [[da:Sekulær stat]] [[fr:État séculier]] [[ko:세속국가]] [[pt:Estado secular]] [[ru:Светское государство]] [[zh:世俗國家]]