Secular state
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A secular state is an idea pertaining to secularity, whereby a state is or purports to be officially neutral in matters of religion, supporting neither religion nor irreligion.[1] A secular state claims to treat all its citizens equally regardless of religion, and claims to avoid preferential treatment for a citizen based on their religious beliefs, affiliation or lack of either over those with other profiles.[2] Although secular states have no state religion, the absence of an established state religion does not mean that a state is completely secular or egalitarian. For example, some states that describe themselves as secular have religious references in their national anthems and flags, laws that benefit one religion or another, or are members of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation and of the International Religious Freedom or Belief Alliance.
Origin and practice
Secularity can be established at a state's creation (e.g., the Soviet Union, the United States) or by it later secularizing (e.g., France or Nepal). Movements for laïcité in France and separation of church and state in the United States have defined modern concepts of secularism, the United States of America being the first explicitly secular government in history. Historically, the process of secularisation typically involves granting religious freedom, disestablishing state religions, stopping public funds being used for religion, freeing the legal system from religious control, freeing up the education system, tolerating citizens who change religion or abstain from religion, and allowing political leaders to come to power regardless of their religious beliefs.[3] In France, Italy, and Spain, for example, official holidays for the public administration tend to be Christian feast days. Any private school in France that contracts with Éducation nationale means its teachers are salaried by the state—most of the Catholic schools are in this situation and, because of history, they are the majority; however, any other religious or non-religious schools also contract this way.[4] In some European states where secularism confronts monoculturalist philanthropy, some of the main Christian denominations and sects of other religions depend on the state for some of the financial resources for their religious charities.[5] It is common in corporate law and charity law to prohibit organized religion from using those funds to organize religious worship in a separate place of worship or for conversion; the religious body itself must provide the religious content, educated clergy and laypersons to exercise its own functions and may choose to devote part of their time to the separate charities. To that effect, some of those charities establish secular organizations that manage part of or all of the donations from the main religious bodies. Many states that are nowadays secular in practice may have legal vestiges of an earlier established religion. Secularism also has various guises that may coincide with some degree of official religiosity. In the United Kingdom, the head of state is still required to take the Coronation Oath enacted in 1688, swearing to maintain the Protestant Reformed religion and to preserve the established Church of England.[6] The UK also maintains seats in the House of Lords for 26 senior clergymen of the Church of England, known as the Lords Spiritual.[7] In Canada the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms affords secular freedoms of conscience and religion, thought, belief, opinion and expression, including communication, assembly and association yet the Charter's preamble maintains the concept of "the supremacy of God" which would appear to disadvantage those who hold nontheistic or polytheistic beliefs, including Atheism and Buddhism.[8][9] Italy has been a secular state since the enactment of the Constitution in 1948 (stressed by a Constitutional court's decision in 1989),[10] but still recognizes a special status for the Catholic Church. The reverse progression can also occur, however; a state can go from being secular to being a religious state, as in the case of Iran where the secularized Imperial State of Iran was replaced by an Islamic Republic. Nonetheless, the last 250 years has seen a trend towards secularism.[11][12]
List of secular states by continent
This is the list of countries that are explicitly described as secular in their constitutions or other official state documents.
Africa
- File:Flag of Angola.svg Angola[13]
- File:Flag of Benin.svg Benin[14]
- File:Flag of Botswana.svg Botswana[15]
- File:Flag of Burkina Faso.svg Burkina Faso[16]
- File:Flag of Burundi.svg Burundi[17]
- File:Flag of Cameroon.svg Cameroon[18]
- File:Flag of the Central African Republic.svg Central African Republic[19]
- File:Flag of Chad.svg Chad[20]
- File:Flag of the Comoros.svg Comoros[21]
- File:Flag of Côte d'Ivoire.svg Côte d'Ivoire[22]
- File:Flag of the Democratic Republic of the Congo.svg Congo DR[23]
- File:Flag of the Republic of the Congo.svg Congo[24]
- File:Flag of Equatorial Guinea.svg Equatorial Guinea[25]
- File:Flag of Eritrea.svg Eritrea[26]
- File:Flag of Eswatini.svg Eswatini[27]
- File:Flag of Ethiopia.svg Ethiopia[28]
- File:Flag of Gabon.svg Gabon[29]
- File:Flag of The Gambia.svg Gambia[30]
- File:Flag of Ghana.svg Ghana[31]
- File:Flag of Guinea.svg Guinea[32]
- File:Flag of Guinea-Bissau.svg Guinea-Bissau[33]
- File:Flag of Kenya.svg Kenya[34]
- File:Flag of Lesotho.svg Lesotho[35]
- File:Flag of Liberia.svg Liberia[36]
- File:Flag of Madagascar.svg Madagascar[37]
- File:Flag of Malawi.svg Malawi[38]
- File:Flag of Mali.svg Mali[39]
- File:Flag of Mozambique.svg Mozambique[40]
- File:Flag of Namibia.svg Namibia[41]
- File:Flag of Niger.svg Niger[42]
- File:Flag of Nigeria.svg Nigeria[43]
- File:Flag of Rwanda.svg Rwanda[44]
- File:Flag of São Tomé and Príncipe.svg Sao Tome and Principe[45]
- File:Flag of Senegal.svg Senegal[46]
- File:Flag of Sierra Leone.svg Sierra Leone[47]
- File:Flag of South Africa.svg South Africa[48]
- File:Flag of South Sudan.svg South Sudan[49]
- File:Flag of Sudan.svg Sudan[50]
- File:Flag of Tanzania.svg Tanzania[51]
- File:Flag of Togo (3-2).svg Togo[52]
- File:Flag of Tunisia.svg Tunisia[53]
- File:Flag of Uganda.svg Uganda[54]
- File:Flag of Zimbabwe.svg Zimbabwe[55]
Americas
- Antigua and Barbuda Antigua and Barbuda[56]
- Argentina Argentina[57]
- The Bahamas Bahamas[58]
- Barbados Barbados[59]
- Belize Belize[60]
- Bolivia Bolivia[61]
- Brazil Brazil[62]
- Canada Canada[63]
- Chile Chile[64]
- Colombia Colombia[65]
- Cuba Cuba[66]
- Dominica Dominica[67]
- Dominican Republic Dominican Republic[68]
- Ecuador Ecuador[69]
- El Salvador El Salvador[70]
- Grenada Grenada[71]
- Guatemala Guatemala[72]
- Guyana Guyana[73]
- Haiti Haiti[74]
- Honduras Honduras[75]
- Jamaica Jamaica[76]
- Mexico Mexico[77]
- Nicaragua Nicaragua[78]
- Paraguay Paraguay[79]
- Panama Panama[80]
- Peru Peru[81]
- Saint Kitts and Nevis Saint Kitts and Nevis[82]
- Saint Lucia Saint Lucia[83]
- Saint Vincent and the Grenadines Saint Vincent and the Grenadines[84]
- Suriname Suriname[85]
- Trinidad and Tobago Trinidad and Tobago[86]
- United States United States[87]
- Uruguay Uruguay[88]
- Venezuela Venezuela[89]
Asia
- File:Flag of the People's Republic of China.svg China[90]
- File:Flag of India.svg India[91]
- File:Flag of Indonesia.svg Indonesia[92]
- File:Flag of Japan.svg Japan[93]
- File:Flag of Kazakhstan.svg Kazakhstan[94]
- File:Flag of Kyrgyzstan.svg Kyrgyzstan[95]
- File:Flag of Laos.svg Laos[96]
- File:Flag of Lebanon.svg Lebanon[97]
- File:Flag of Mongolia.svg Mongolia[98]
- File:Flag of Nepal.svg Nepal[99]
- File:Flag of North Korea.svg North Korea[100]
- File:Flag of the Philippines.svg Philippines[101]
- File:Flag of Singapore.svg Singapore[102]
- File:Flag of South Korea.svg South Korea[103]
- File:Flag of Syria.svg Syria[104]
- File:Flag of the Republic of China.svg Taiwan[105][lower-alpha 1]
- File:Flag of Tajikistan.svg Tajikistan[107]
- File:Flag of East Timor.svg Timor-Leste[108]
- File:Flag of Thailand.svg Thailand[109]
- File:Flag of Turkmenistan.svg Turkmenistan[110]
- File:Flag of Uzbekistan.svg Uzbekistan[111]
- File:Flag of Vietnam.svg Vietnam[112]
Europe
- File:Flag of Albania.svg Albania[113]
- File:Flag of Andorra.svg Andorra[114]
- File:Flag of Armenia.svg Armenia[115]
- File:Flag of Austria.svg Austria[116]
- File:Flag of Belarus.svg Belarus[117]
- File:Flag of Belgium (civil).svg Belgium[118]
- File:Flag of Bosnia and Herzegovina.svg Bosnia and Herzegovina[119]
- File:Flag of Bulgaria.svg Bulgaria[120]
- File:Flag of Croatia.svg Croatia[121]
- File:Flag of the Czech Republic.svg Czechia[122]
- File:Flag of Estonia.svg Estonia[123]
- File:Flag of Finland.svg Finland[124]
- File:Flag of France.svg France[125]
- File:Flag of Germany.svg Germany[126]
- File:Flag of Greece.svg Greece[127]
- File:Flag of Hungary.svg Hungary[128]
- File:Flag of Ireland.svg Ireland[129]
- File:Flag of Italy.svg Italy[130]
- File:Flag of Kosovo.svg Kosovo[131][lower-alpha 1]
- File:Flag of Latvia.svg Latvia[132]
- File:Flag of Lithuania.svg Lithuania[133]
- File:Flag of Luxembourg.svg Luxembourg
- File:Flag of Moldova.svg Moldova[134]
- File:Flag of the Netherlands.svg Netherlands[135]
- File:Flag of Norway.svg Norway[136]
- File:Flag of Poland.svg Poland[137]
- File:Flag of Portugal.svg Portugal[138]
- File:Flag of Romania.svg Romania[139]
- File:Flag of Serbia.svg Serbia[140]
- File:Flag of Slovakia.svg Slovakia[141]
- File:Flag of Slovenia.svg Slovenia[142]
- File:Flag of Spain.svg Spain[143]
- File:Flag of Sweden.svg Sweden[144]
- File:Flag of Switzerland (Pantone).svg Switzerland[145]
- File:Flag of Ukraine.svg Ukraine[146]
Oceania
- File:Flag of Australia (converted).svg Australia[147][lower-alpha 2]
- File:Flag of Fiji.svg Fiji[150]
- File:Flag of Kiribati.svg Kiribati[151]
- File:Flag of the Marshall Islands.svg Marshall Islands[152]
- File:Flag of the Federated States of Micronesia.svg Micronesia[153]
- File:Flag of Nauru.svg Nauru[154]
- File:Flag of New Zealand.svg New Zealand[155]
- File:Flag of Palau.svg Palau[156]
- File:Flag of Papua New Guinea.svg Papua New Guinea[157]
- File:Flag of the Solomon Islands.svg Solomon Islands[158]
- File:Flag of Vanuatu.svg Vanuatu[159]
Transcontinental countries
- File:Flag of Azerbaijan.svg Azerbaijan[160]
- File:Flag of Cyprus.svg Cyprus[161]
- File:Flag of Georgia.svg Georgia[162]
- File:Flag of Kazakhstan.svg Kazakhstan[163]
- File:Flag of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus.svg Northern Cyprus[164][lower-alpha 1]
- File:Flag of Russia.svg Russia[165]
- File:Flag of Turkey.svg Turkey[166]
Formerly secular states
- File:Flag of Bangladesh.svg Bangladesh (1972–1977)
- Bangladesh was de facto a secular state from 1972 to 1977, when secularism was removed from the constitution by a Martial Law and the Parliament of Bangladesh declared Islam as the state religion in 1988.[167] Its current status is ambiguous. See Secularism in Bangladesh.
- File:Flag of Afghanistan (1980–1987).svg Democratic Republic of Afghanistan (1978–1987)
- Afghanistan became a secular state following the Saur Revolution however Sunni Islam was briefly reinstated as the state religion under General Secretary Hafizullah Amin until his assassination in December 1979. President Mohammad Najibullah would reinstate Sunni Islam as the state religion in 1987.[168]
- File:Flag of the People's Republic of Kampuchea.svg People's Republic of Kampuchea (1979–1993)
- Kampuchea was a secular state from 1979 until the restoration of its monarchy in 1993.
- File:Flag of Djibouti.svg Djibouti (1977–2010)
- File:State flag of Iran 1964-1980.svg Imperial State of Iran (1925–1979)
- Iran became a de facto secular state following the 1921 Persian coup d'état with the establishment of the Pahlavi dynasty as the ruling house of the country in 1925, until the Islamic Revolution in 1979.
- File:Flag of Iraq (1963–1991); Flag of Syria (1963–1972).svg Iraq (1932–1993)
- Iraq became a secular state in 1932 after its independence. However, the Ba'athist regime led by Saddam Hussein launched the Return to Faith campaign in 1993 and placed significant emphasis on Islam within all sectors of state and public life.[169]
- File:Flag of Myanmar (1974-2010).svg Myanmar (formerly Burma) (1885–1961; 1962–2008)
- Myanmar was a secular state during the colonial period and post-independence period until 1961 and again under the socialist regime, and the military regime until 2008.
- File:Flag of Samoa.svg Samoa (1962–2017)
- In 2017, the Samoan legislative assembly approved a constitutional amendment that instituted Christianity as the state religion.[170]
Ambiguous countries
- File:Flag of Bangladesh.svg Bangladesh
- There is constitutional ambiguity whether Bangladesh is a secular country or an Islamic country. In 2010, the high court of Bangladesh reinstated secularism as a part of the Bangladesh constitution after terming the 1977 constitutional amendment done by then Bangladesh President Ziaur Rahman as illegal.[171] Political leaders and experts have expressed uncertainty if Bangladesh is a secular state or an Islamic state.[172]
- File:Flag of Malaysia.svg Malaysia
- In Article 3 of the Constitution of Malaysia, Islam is stated as the official religion of the country: "Islam is the religion of the Federation; but other religions may be practiced in peace and harmony in any part of the Federation." In 1956, the Alliance party submitted a memorandum to the Reid Commission, which was responsible for drafting the Malayan constitution. The memorandum quoted: "The religion of Malaya shall be Islam. The observance of this principle shall not impose any disability on non-Muslim nationals professing and practicing their own religion and shall not imply that the state is not a secular state."[173] The full text of the Memorandum was inserted into paragraph 169 of the Commission Report.[174] This suggestion was later carried forward in the Federation of Malaya Constitutional Proposals 1957 (White Paper), specifically quoted in paragraph 57: "There has been included in the proposed Federal Constitution a declaration that Islam is the religion of the Federation. This will in no way affect the present position of the Federation as a secular State...."[175] The Cobbold Commission also made another similar quote in 1962: "....we are agreed that Islam should be the national religion for the Federation. We are satisfied that the proposal in no way jeopardises freedom of religion in the Federation, which in effect would be secular."[176] In December 1987, the Lord President of the Supreme Court, Salleh Abas described Malaysia as governed by "secular law" in a court ruling.[177]
See also
Notes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 State with limited recognition.[106]
- ↑ Section 116 of the Constitution of Australia provides, "the Commonwealth shall not make any law for establishing any religion, or for imposing any religious observance, or for prohibiting the free exercise of any religion, and no religious test shall be required as a qualification for any office or public trust under the Commonwealth.[148] However, the states retain the power to pass religiously discriminatory laws.[149]
References
- ↑ Madeley, John T. S.; Enyedi, Zsolt (2003). Church and State in Contemporary Europe: The Chimera of Neutrality. Psychology Press. p. 14. ISBN 978-0-7146-5394-5.
- ↑ "What is Secularism?". www.secularism.org.uk. Retrieved 18 May 2022.
- ↑ Jean Baubérot The secular principle Archived 22 February 2008 at the Wayback Machine
- ↑ Teese, Richard (1986). "Private Schools in France: Evolution of a System". Comparative Education Review. 30 (2): 247–259. doi:10.1086/446591. JSTOR 1188531. S2CID 144698211.
- ↑ Twinch, Emily. "Religious charities: Faith, funding and the state". Article dated 22 June 2009. Third Sector – a UK Charity Periodical. Archived from the original on 10 May 2013. Retrieved 3 June 2012.
- ↑ "Coronation Oath". Retrieved 18 March 2015.
- ↑ "How members are appointed". UK Parliament. Retrieved 18 March 2015.
- ↑ Hogg, Peter W. Canada Act 1982 Annotated. Toronto, Canada: The Carswell Company Limited, 1982.
- ↑ Paul Russell, "The supremacy of God" does not belong in the Constitution": The Globe & Mail, June 11, 1999
- ↑ Articles 3, 7, 8, 19, 20 of the Constitution of Italy; Constitutional Court's Decision n. 203/1989
- ↑ "Harris Interactive: Resource Not Found". Archived from the original on 23 July 2013. Retrieved 18 March 2015.
- ↑ "A Portrait of "Generation Next"". Pew Research Center for the People and the Press. 9 January 2007. Archived from the original on 24 May 2008. Retrieved 18 March 2015.
- ↑ "ICL - Angola Constitution". Retrieved 18 March 2015., Article 8: "The Republic of Angola shall be a secular State..."
- ↑ "Article 2 of Constitution".: "The Republic of Benin shall be one - indivisible, secular, and democratic."
- ↑ Leaders say Botswana is a secular state Archived 10 February 2005 at the Wayback Machine
- ↑ "Article 31 of Constitution". Archived from the original on 9 October 2006.: "Burkina Faso is a democratic, unitary and secular state."
- ↑ Article 4 of Constitution Archived 7 October 2006 at the Wayback Machine: "Le Burundi est une République unitaire, indépendante et souveraine, laïque et démocratique."
- ↑ "Preamble of Constitution" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 15 December 2017. Retrieved 1 March 2007.: "... the State shall be secular."
- ↑ Article 24 of the Central African Republic's Constitution of 2016, constituteproject.org: "The Central African Republic is a State of law, unitary, sovereign, indivisible, secular and democratic."
- ↑ "Article 1 of Constitution". Archived from the original on 9 October 2006.: "Chad is a sovereign, independent, secular, social, and indivisible ..."
- ↑ "Comoros 2018 Constitution - Constitute".
- ↑ "Côte d'Ivoire's Constitution of 2000" (PDF)., Article 30: "The Republic of Côte d’Ivoire is one and indivisible, secular, democratic and social."
- ↑ "Constitution de la République démocratique du Congo". Retrieved 18 March 2015., article 1er: "République Démocratique du Congo est, dans ses frontières du 30 juin 1960, un État de droit, indépendant, souverain, uni et indivisible, social, démocratique et laïc."
- ↑ "ICL - Congo-Brazzaville - Constitution". Retrieved 18 March 2015., Article 1: "The Republic of the Congo is a sovereign and independent State, decentralized, indivisible, secular, democratic, and social."
- ↑ "2020 Report on International Religious Freedom: Equatorial Guinea". United States Department of State. Retrieved 4 March 2022.
- ↑ "2020 Report on International Religious Freedom: Eritrea". United States Department of State. Retrieved 4 March 2022.
- ↑ "2020 Report on International Religious Freedom: Eswatini". United States Department of State. Retrieved 4 March 2022.
- ↑ "2020 Report on International Religious Freedom: Ethiopia". United States Department of State. Retrieved 4 March 2022.
- ↑ "2020 Report on International Religious Freedom: Gabon". United States Department of State. Retrieved 4 March 2022.
- ↑ "2020 Report on International Religious Freedom: Gambia". United States Department of State. Retrieved 4 March 2022.
- ↑ "2020 Report on International Religious Freedom: Ghana". United States Department of State. Retrieved 4 March 2022.
- ↑ Article 1 of Constitution Archived 13 September 2004 at the Wayback Machine: "La Guinée est une République unitaire, indivisible, laïque, démocratique et sociale."
- ↑ Article 1 of Constitution Archived 5 November 2013 at the Wayback Machine: "Guinea-Bissau is a sovereign, democratic, secular and unitary republic."
- ↑ "The Constitution of Kenya" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 21 December 2013. Retrieved 14 March 2022.
- ↑ "2020 Report on International Religious Freedom: Lesotho". United States Department of State. Retrieved 4 March 2022.
- ↑ "2020 Report on International Religious Freedom: Liberia". United States Department of State. Retrieved 4 March 2022.
- ↑ "Madagascar's Constitution of 2010" (PDF)., Article 1: "The Malagasy People constitute a nation organized as a sovereign, unitary, republican and secular State."
- ↑ "2020 Report on International Religious Freedom: Malawi". United States Department of State. Retrieved 4 March 2022.
- ↑ Constitution Archived 12 September 2012 at the Wayback Machine, Article 25: "Mali is an independent, sovereign, indivisible, democratic, secular, social Republic."
- ↑ "2020 Report on International Religious Freedom: Mozambique". United States Department of State. Retrieved 4 March 2022.
- ↑ "ICL - Namibia - Constitution". Retrieved 18 March 2015., Article 1: "The Republic of Namibia is hereby established as a sovereign, secular, democratic and unitary State ..."
- ↑ "2020 Report on International Religious Freedom: Niger". United States Department of State. Retrieved 4 March 2022.
- ↑ "2020 Report on International Religious Freedom: Nigeria". United States Department of State. Retrieved 4 March 2022.
- ↑ Article 4 of the Rwanda's Constitution of 2003 with Amendments through 2015, constituteproject.org, Article 4: "The Rwandan State is an independent, sovereign, democratic, social and secular Republic."
- ↑ Article 154 of the Sao Tome and Principe's Constitution of 1975 with Amendments through 2003, constituteproject.org, "The following may not be the subject of a revision to the Constitution: [...] b. The secular status of the State;"
- ↑ Article 1 of the Senegal's Constitution of 2001 with Amendments through 2016, constituteproject.org, "The Republic of Senegal is secular, democratic, and social."
- ↑ "2020 Report on International Religious Freedom: Sierra Leone". United States Department of State. Retrieved 4 March 2022.
- ↑ "2020 Report on International Religious Freedom: South Africa". United States Department of State. Retrieved 4 March 2022.
- ↑ "2020 Report on International Religious Freedom: South Sudan". United States Department of State. Retrieved 4 March 2022.
- ↑ "2020 Report on International Religious Freedom: Sudan". United States Department of State. Retrieved 4 March 2022.
- ↑ Article 3 of the Tanzania (United Republic of)'s Constitution of 1977 with Amendments through 2005, constituteproject.org, "The United Republic is a democratic, secular and socialist state which adheres to multi-party democracy"
- ↑ Article 1 of the Togo's Constitution of 1992 with Amendments through 2007, constituteproject.org, "The Togolese Republic is a State of law, secular, democratic and social."
- ↑ "Why Tunisia abandoning Islam as a state religion?". GR.
- ↑ "2020 Report on International Religious Freedom: Uganda". United States Department of State. Retrieved 4 March 2022.
- ↑ "2020 Report on International Religious Freedom: Zimbabwe". United States Department of State. Retrieved 4 March 2022.
- ↑ "2021 Report on International Religious Freedom: Antigua and Barbuda". United States Department of State. Retrieved 5 March 2023.
- ↑ "2021 Report on International Religious Freedom: Argentina". United States Department of State. Retrieved 5 March 2023.
- ↑ "2021 Report on International Religious Freedom: Bahamas". United States Department of State. Retrieved 5 March 2023.
- ↑ "2021 Report on International Religious Freedom: Barbados". United States Department of State. Retrieved 5 March 2023.
- ↑ "2021 Report on International Religious Freedom: Belize". United States Department of State. Retrieved 5 March 2023.
- ↑ "2021 Report on International Religious Freedom: Bolivia". United States Department of State. Retrieved 5 March 2023.
- ↑ "2021 Report on International Religious Freedom: Brazil". United States Department of State. Retrieved 5 March 2023.
- ↑
- Bramadat, Paul; Seljak, David (2009). Religion and Ethnicity in Canada. University of Toronto Press. p. 3. ISBN 978-1-4426-1018-7.
- Bowen, Kurt (2004). Christians in a Secular World: The Canadian Experience. McGill-Queen's Press. p. 174. ISBN 978-0-7735-7194-5.
- Gregory, Derek; Johnston, Ron; Pratt, Geraldine; Watts, Michael; Whatmore, Sarah (2009). The Dictionary of Human Geography. John Wiley & Sons. p. 672. ISBN 978-1-4443-1056-6.
- "2021 Report on International Religious Freedom: Canada". United States Department of State. Retrieved 5 March 2023.
- ↑ "2021 Report on International Religious Freedom: Chile". United States Department of State. Retrieved 5 March 2023.
- ↑ "2021 Report on International Religious Freedom: Colombia". United States Department of State. Retrieved 5 March 2023.
- ↑ "2021 Report on International Religious Freedom: Cuba". United States Department of State. Retrieved 5 March 2023.
- ↑ "2021 Report on International Religious Freedom: Dominica". United States Department of State. Retrieved 5 March 2023.
- ↑ "2021 Report on International Religious Freedom: Dominican Republic". United States Department of State. Retrieved 5 March 2023.
- ↑ "2021 Report on International Religious Freedom: Ecuador". United States Department of State. Retrieved 5 March 2023.
- ↑ "2021 Report on International Religious Freedom: El Salvador". United States Department of State. Retrieved 5 March 2023.
- ↑ "2021 Report on International Religious Freedom: Grenada". United States Department of State. Retrieved 5 March 2023.
- ↑ "2021 Report on International Religious Freedom: Guatemala". United States Department of State. Retrieved 5 March 2023.
- ↑ "2021 Report on International Religious Freedom: Guyana". United States Department of State. Retrieved 5 March 2023.
- ↑ "2021 Report on International Religious Freedom: Haiti". United States Department of State. Retrieved 5 March 2023.
- ↑ "2021 Report on International Religious Freedom: Honduras". United States Department of State. Retrieved 5 March 2023.
- ↑ "2021 Report on International Religious Freedom: Jamaica". United States Department of State. Retrieved 5 March 2023.
- ↑ "2021 Report on International Religious Freedom: Mexico". United States Department of State. Retrieved 5 March 2023.
- ↑ "2021 Report on International Religious Freedom: Nicaragua". United States Department of State. Retrieved 5 March 2023.
- ↑ "2021 Report on International Religious Freedom: Paraguay". United States Department of State. Retrieved 5 March 2023.
- ↑ "2021 Report on International Religious Freedom: Panama". United States Department of State. Retrieved 5 March 2023.
- ↑ "2021 Report on International Religious Freedom: Peru". United States Department of State. Retrieved 5 March 2023.
- ↑ "2021 Report on International Religious Freedom: Saint Kitts and Nevis". United States Department of State. Retrieved 5 March 2023.
- ↑ "2021 Report on International Religious Freedom: Saint Lucia". United States Department of State. Retrieved 5 March 2023.
- ↑ "2021 Report on International Religious Freedom: Saint Vincent and the Grenadines". United States Department of State. Retrieved 5 March 2023.
- ↑ "2021 Report on International Religious Freedom: Suriname". United States Department of State. Retrieved 5 March 2023.
- ↑ "2021 Report on International Religious Freedom: Trinidad and Tobago". United States Department of State. Retrieved 5 March 2023.
- ↑ "Religion and the US Constitution: The First Amendment". Cornell Law School. Retrieved 9 May 2022.
- ↑ "2021 Report on International Religious Freedom: Uruguay". United States Department of State. Retrieved 5 March 2023.
- ↑ "2021 Report on International Religious Freedom: Venezuela". United States Department of State. Retrieved 5 March 2023.
- ↑ "2021 Report on International Religious Freedom: China". United States Department of State. Retrieved 24 October 2023.
- ↑ "The Constitution (Amendment)". Archived from the original on 28 March 2015., "We, The People of India having solemnly resolved to constitute India into a Sovereign Socialist Secular Democratic Republic and to secure to all its..."
- ↑ "2021 Report on International Religious Freedom: Indonesia". United States Department of State. Retrieved 1 September 2023.
- ↑ "2021 Report on International Religious Freedom: Japan". United States Department of State. Retrieved 9 March 2023.
- ↑ "2022 Report on International Religious Freedom: Kazakhstan". United States Department of State. Retrieved 18 September 2023.
- ↑ Article 1 of Constitution Archived 4 February 2007 at the Wayback Machine, Article 1: "The Kyrghyz Republic (Kyrghyzstan) shall be a sovereign unitary democratic republic created on the basis of a legal secular state."
- ↑ "2021 Report on International Religious Freedom: Laos". United States Department of State. Retrieved 9 March 2023.
- ↑ "2021 Report on International Religious Freedom: Lebanon". United States Department of State. Retrieved 2 June 2022.
- ↑ "2021 Report on International Religious Freedom: Mongolia". United States Department of State. Retrieved 9 March 2023.
- ↑ Dodd 2003, p. 571, The rough guide to Nepal : "After 2005, the Marxist-Leninist government of reunified Nepal declared the state atheist while theoretically allowing people the right to practice their religion under the constitution."
- ↑ "2021 Report on International Religious Freedom: North Korea". United States Department of State. Retrieved 24 October 2023.
- ↑ "Article II Section 6 of the Constitution of the Philippines". Archived from the original on 5 January 2019. Retrieved 12 March 2021., "The separation of Church and State shall be inviolable."
- ↑ See Declaration of Religious Harmony, which explicitly states the secular nature of society
- ↑ "2021 Report on International Religious Freedom: South Korea". United States Department of State. Retrieved 9 March 2023.
- ↑ "2021 Report on International Religious Freedom: Syria". United States Department of State. Retrieved 9 March 2023.
- ↑ "2021 Report on International Religious Freedom: Taiwan". United States Department of State. Retrieved 9 March 2023.
- ↑ "Introduction: Secular State and Pious Muslims", Secular State and Religious Society, Palgrave Macmillan, 2011, doi:10.1057/9781137010643.0003, ISBN 9781137010643, retrieved 11 April 2022
- ↑ "Tajikistan's Constitution of 1994 with Amendments through 2003" (PDF)., Article 1: "The Republic of Tajikistan is a sovereign, democratic, law-governed, secular, and unitary State."
- ↑ Preamble to the Constitution, "The elaboration and adoption of the Constitution of the Democratic Republic of East Timor is the culmination of the secular resistance of the Timorese People ..."
- ↑ "2021 Report on International Religious Freedom: Thailand". United States Department of State. Retrieved 9 March 2023.
- ↑ "Constitution of Turkmenistan". Archived from the original on 14 April 2015. Retrieved 18 March 2015., Article 1: "Turkmenistan is a democratic secular state ..."
- ↑ "2021 Report on International Religious Freedom: Uzbekistan". United States Department of State. Retrieved 9 March 2023.
- ↑ Dodd 2003, p. 571, The rough guide to Vietnam : "After 1975, the Marxist-Leninist government of reunified Vietnam declared the state atheist while theoretically allowing people the right to practice their religion under the constitution."
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- ↑ "2020 Report on International Religious Freedom: Poland". United States Department of State. Retrieved 4 March 2022.
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- ↑ "Constitution" (PDF). constituteproject.org. Retrieved 4 October 2020., article 35: "The Church and religious organisations in Ukraine are separated from the State, and the school - from the Church."
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- ↑ Article 4 of the 2013 Constitution of Fiji explicitly provides that Fiji is a secular state. It guarantees religious liberty, while stating, "religious belief is personal", and, "religion and the State are separate." Constitution of the Republic of Fiji Archived 6 February 2016 at the Wayback Machine, 2013
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- ↑ "2020 Report on International Religious Freedom: Marshall Islands". United States Department of State. Retrieved 4 March 2022.
- ↑ Section 2 of Article IV of the Micronesian constitution provides, "no law may be passed respecting an establishment of religion or impairing the free exercise of religion, except that assistance may be provided to parochial schools for non-religious purposes." "Constitution of the Federated States of Micronesia".
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- ↑ "2020 Report on International Religious Freedom: Palau". United States Department of State. Retrieved 4 March 2022.
- ↑ "2020 Report on International Religious Freedom: Papua New Guinea". United States Department of State. Retrieved 4 March 2022.
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- ↑ "2021 Report on International Religious Freedom: Cyprus". United States Department of State. Retrieved 9 March 2023.
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- ↑ "2021 Report on International Religious Freedom: Kazakhstan". United States Department of State. Retrieved 9 March 2023.
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- ↑ Gurcan, M. (2016). What Went Wrong in Afghanistan?: Understanding Counter-insurgency Efforts in Tribalized Rural and Muslim Environments. Wolverhampton Military Studies. Helion Limited. p. 76. ISBN 978-1-911096-84-9. Retrieved 15 September 2023.
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- ↑ "Bangladesh's court restores 'secularism' in Constitution". 29 July 2010. Archived from the original on 16 October 2023. Retrieved 7 October 2023.
- ↑ "Bangladesh's Ambiguity on Religion Has Been Expensive for the Country". 7 October 2023. Archived from the original on 9 March 2023. Retrieved 7 October 2023.
- ↑ Tan Sri Datuk Ahmad Ibrahim, Our Constitution and Islamic Faith, p. 8, 25 August 1987, New Straits Times
- ↑ Islam's status in our secular charter, Richard Y.W. Yeoh, Director, Institute of Research for Social Advancement, 20 July 2006, The Sun, Letters (Used by permission)
- ↑ Federation of Malaya Constitutional Proposals Kuala Lumpur: Government Printer 1957–Articles 53-61 Archived 3 March 2016 at the Wayback Machine (PDF document) hosted by Centre for Public Policy Studies Malaysia, retrieved 8 February 2013
- ↑ The birth of Malaysia: A reprint of the Report of the Commission of Enquiry, North Borneo and Sarawak, 1962 (Cobbold report) and the Report of the Inter-governmental Committee, (1962–I.G.C. report), p. 58
- ↑ Wan Azhar Wan Ahmad, Historical legal perspective, 17 March 2009, The Star (Malaysia)
Bibliography
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