We explain what a secular state is, its characteristics, and differences with a secular state. Also, the history of secularism. Please read other MTV articles for more information. If you share it, it will be of little help to us.
What is a secular state?
A secular state is a state organization whose constitution does not grant any religion the status of an official cult. This means that the state has no religious identity or authority over any religion, and does not promote any specific cult. Furthermore, it allows freedom of worship, meaning that every citizen can profess their religion or belief without any hindrance or censorship, as long as they do not violate any law.
In secular states, there is a separation between religion and state, or in countries with a Christian tradition, between church and state. This means that religion is considered an intimate and personal matter of citizens, in which the state has no jurisdiction.
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A secular state is the complete opposite of a confessional state, in which a specific faith is recognized as official and the religious institution plays an important political role in the organization and decisions of the state. However, this does not mean that secular states are atheistic, as were certain communist regimes that prohibited and persecuted all religious manifestations. Rather, they are secular, as they deal only with material matters (political, economic, legal, and social).
KEY POINTS
- A secular state is one that does not recognize any religion as official or promote any specific faith.
- It is based on the separation of religion and state and allows freedom of worship for its citizens. Secularism was born out of liberalism, and the first secular states emerged in France and the United States in the wake of the liberal revolutions of the late 18th century.
- It differs from the secular state in that it does not recognize an official religion but can financially support religious institutions.
Characteristics of a Secular State
Secular states are characterized by:
- They have a clear separation between state affairs (bureaucracy, political leadership, civil administration, the exercise of justice, among others) and religious, mystical, and faith-based matters. This means that these two spheres of life do not mix (as long as the exercise of faith does not violate secular laws).
- Their Constitution does not consider any religion as “official” or “state,” and does not address the private beliefs of its citizens, beyond enshrining freedom of worship and protesting against religious discrimination.
- Their citizens are considered equal before the law, regardless of their religious identity or spiritual practices.
- They have a secular public education system, free from any religious considerations or doctrine, although some secular states partially subsidize religious education.
- The Church and religion may play an important moral role in society, but they cannot intervene in the country’s political, economic, social, or legal decision-making.
- In some cases, the secular nature of the state is not complete, as is the case in certain countries with secular states where the calendar of national holidays includes celebrations from the religious calendar (such as Easter and Christmas), and where many church officials are considered public employees and receive state salaries.
History of Secularism
The secular state is an outgrowth of liberalism, a political, philosophical, and social movement that emerged in Europe in the 17th and 18th centuries and aspired to overcome the world of the Ancien Régime, where most states were religious and governed by an absolutist monarch. The liberal revolutions in the United States and France at the end of the 18th century founded the first secular states.
The concept of the “secular state” emerged in France in the 19th century to refer to the separation between the institutions of the state and the Catholic Church, made possible by the ideas of the Enlightenment and, especially, the liberal revolutions. The idea of the secularization of the state, that is, its neutrality in religious matters, went hand in hand with the reduction of the Church’s political power and its influence on national destinies, since the clergy had for centuries been an ally of monarchies and the noble and conservative classes.
At the beginning of the 21st century, secularism is the prevailing norm in most of the 193 countries of the United Nations (UN) and is considered a key feature in building a modern state. However, many religious states still exist, especially in the Islamic world and in some Western nations with Catholic and Protestant traditions.
On the other hand, some states with secular characteristics offer support to certain religious institutions, which is why they are sometimes considered non-denominational states rather than secular states. Furthermore, some religious groups can exert pressure on various governments, even though these governments have secular constitutions.
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Examples of Secular States in the 21st Century
Some current examples of secular states or states without an official religion are:
- Albania
- Germany
- Australia
- Belgium
- Benin
- Brazil
- Cameroon
- Chile
- Cuba
- Spain
- United States
- France
- Honduras
- India
- Japan
- Kenya
- Luxembourg
- Mexico
- Nepal
- Niger
- Senegal
Secular State and Non-denominational State
A non-denominational state is one that does not officially adhere to any religion, but may maintain agreements and provide financial aid to religious institutions, as long as this does not influence the country’s political direction. Both secular states and non-denominational states are the opposite of confessional or religious states, but they differ in the degree of separation they maintain from ecclesiastical affairs.
Thus, a secular state is expected to provide a complete separation between the state and religious institutions and affairs, while a secular state allows for the funding or support of certain religious organizations, but does not imply the state’s submission to the will of religious authorities or their precepts.
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References
All the information we offer is supported by authoritative and up-to-date bibliographic sources, ensuring reliable content in line with our editorial principles.
- Adame Goddard, J. (2012). The Secular State and Religious Freedom. In Moreno Bonett, M. and Álvarez González, R. M. (Eds.), The Secular State and Human Rights in Mexico: 1810-2010 (Vol. I, pp. 27-45). National Autonomous University of Mexico. archivos.juridicas.unam.mx
- Blackford, R. (2012). Freedom of Religion and the Secular State. Wiley-Blackwell.
- Temperman, J. (2010). State-Religion Relationships and Human Rights Law. Towards a Right to Religiously Neutral Governance. Brill.
- US Department of State, Office of International Religious Freedom. (2023). 2022 Report on International Religious Freedom. state.gov
- World Population Review (2024). Secular Countries 2024. worldpopulationreview.com
- What it is Secular State, characteristics, history, and examples – concepto.de
