State Religion

IGCSE Global Perspectives

• A state religion (also called an official religion, established church or state church) is a religious body or creed officially endorsed by the state.

• Practically, a state without a state religion is called a secular state.

Difference between a "state church" and "state religion".

• A "state church" is created by the state, as in the cases of the Anglican Church, created by Henry VIII or the Church of Sweden, created by Gustav Vasa.

• An example of "state religion" is Argentina's acceptance of Roman Catholicism as its religion.

The following states recognize some form of Christianity as their official religion

• Jurisdictions which recognize Roman Catholicism as their state or official religion: Costa Rica, Liechtenstein, Malta, Monaco, Some cantons of Switzerland, Vatican City (Holy See).

• Jurisdictions which recognize one of the Eastern Orthodox Churches as their official religion: Cyprus, Finland (along with the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Finland), Greece.

• Jurisdictions which recognize one of the Oriental Orthodox Churches as their official religion: Armenia.

• Jurisdictions which recognize a Lutheran church as their official religion: Denmark, Iceland, Norway, Germany.

• Jurisdictions which recognize an Anglican church as their state religion: England (as part of the greater United Kingdom) - Church of England.

• Jurisdictions which recognize a Reformed church as their official religion: Scotland (as part of the greater United Kingdom) - Church of Scotland, Some cantons of Switzerland, Netherlands.

• Countries which recognize Islam as their official religion: Afghanistan, Algeria, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Iran, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Libya, Malaysia, Morocco, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Somalia, Tunisia, United Arab Emirates, Yemen etc.

• Governments which recognize Buddhism, either a specific form of, or the whole, as their official religion: Bhutan, Cambodia, Kalmykia, a republic within the Russian Federation (Tibetan Buddhism - sole Buddhist entity in Europe), Thailand, Tibet Government in Exile.

• Israel is defined in several of its laws as a "Jewish and democratic state". However, the term "Jewish" is a polyseme that can relate equally to the Jewish people or religion.