8 June 2007
Report
Committee on Culture, Science and
Education
Rapporteur: Mr Lluis Maria de PUIG,
Summary
While noting that religion is an important
feature of European society, where it has become a central issue of debate, the
Assembly reaffirms the principle of separation of church and state as one of
In this context education is the key to combating ignorance, stereotypes and misunderstanding of religions and their leaders.
Freedom of religion is protected by the European Convention on Human Rights but it is not unlimited: religious principles which, if put into practice, would violate human rights are unacceptable.
Dozens of religious and humanist
organisations are already represented in the Council of Europe by virtue of the
participatory status of non-governmental organisations. The report welcomes the
Committee of Ministers’ proposal that "annual exchanges on the religious
dimension of intercultural dialogue" be organised on an experimental basis with
representatives of religions traditionally present in
A. Draft recommendation
1. The
Parliamentary Assembly notes that religion is an important feature of European
society. This is because of the historic fact that certain religions have been
present for centuries and because of their influence in
2. Organised religions as such are part and parcel of society and must be considered as institutions set up by and involving citizens who have the right to freedom of religion but also as organisations that are part of civil society, with all its potential for providing guidance on ethical and civic issues, which have a role to play in the national community, be it religious or secular.
3. The
Council of
4. The
Assembly reaffirms that one of
5. Over
the last 20 years, religious worship has declined markedly in
6. As a result of globalisation and the rapid development of new information and communication technology, some groups are particularly visible. What is undeniable, however, is that religion has, in recent years, again become a central issue of debate in our societies. Roman Catholics, members of the Orthodox Church, Evangelists and Muslims seem to be the most active here.
7. The Assembly recognises the importance of intercultural dialogue and its religious dimension and is willing to help devise a comprehensive Council of Europe strategy in this area. It considers, however, in the light of the principle of the separation of church and state, that inter-religious and interdenominational dialogue is not a matter for states or for the Council of Europe.
8. In Recommendation 1396 (1999) on religion and democracy, the Assembly stated that there was "a religious aspect to many of the problems contemporary society [faced], such as ... fundamentalist movements and terrorist acts, racism and xenophobia, and ethnic conflicts". This affirmation is as relevant as ever.
9. Governance and religion should not mix. Religion and democracy are not incompatible, however, and sometimes religions play a highly beneficial social role. By addressing the problems facing society, the civil authorities can, with the support of religions, eliminate much of what breeds religious extremism, but not everything.
10. Governments should take account of the special capacity of religious communities to foster peace, co-operation, tolerance, solidarity, intercultural dialogue and the dissemination of the values upheld by the Council of Europe.
11. Education is the key to combating ignorance, stereotypes and misunderstanding of religions and their leaders, and plays a central role in forging a democratic society.
12. Schools are an essential forum for intercultural dialogue and also lay the foundations of tolerant behaviour; they can effectively combat fanaticism by teaching children the history and philosophy of the main religions with restraint and objectivity. The media and families can also play an important part here.
13. A knowledge of religions is an integral part of knowledge of human history and civilisations. It is different from belief in, and worship of, a particular religion. Even countries where one religion prevails have a duty to teach the origins of all religions rather than proselytise.
14.
Various situations coexist in
15. Freedom of religion is protected by article 9 of the European Convention on Human Rights and article 18 of the Universal Declaration on Human Rights. Such freedom is not unlimited, however: a religion whose doctrine or practice ran counter to other fundamental rights would be unacceptable.
16. Nor may states allow the dissemination of religious principles which, if put into practice, would violate human rights. If doubts exist in this respect, states must require religious leaders to take an unambiguous stand in favour of the precedence of human rights, as set forth in the European Convention on Human Rights, over any religious principle.
17. Freedom of expression is one of the most important human rights, as the Assembly has repeatedly affirmed. In Recommendation 1510 (2006) on freedom of expression and respect for religious beliefs it expresses the view that "freedom of expression as protected under Article 10 of the European Convention on Human Rights should not be further restricted to meet increasing sensitivities of certain religious groups".
18. While we have an acknowledged duty to respect others, and must discourage gratuitous insults, freedom of expression cannot, needless to say, be restricted out of deference to certain dogmas or the beliefs of a particular religious community.
19. With regard to relations between the Council of Europe and religious communities, certain steps have been taken in order to promote a closer relationship.
20. It will be remembered in this connection that religious leaders have addressed the Assembly on several occasions in the past, and that the Assembly has accepted, in return, to attend major conferences organised by the religious communities. Moreover, dozens of religious and humanist organisations are already represented at the Council of Europe by virtue of the participatory status of non-governmental organisations.
21. The
Assembly welcomes the Committee of Ministers’ proposal that "annual exchanges on
the religious dimension of intercultural dialogue" be organised on an
experimental basis with representatives of religions traditionally present in
22. The Assembly therefore recommends that the Committee of Ministers:
22.1. ensure that religious communities may exercise the fundamental right of freedom of religion without hindrance in all Council of Europe member states with respect for the principles of the European Convention on Human Rights;
22.2. rule out any interference in religious affairs, but consider churches as part of civil society and call on them to play an active role in pursuit of peace, co-operation, tolerance, solidarity, intercultural dialogue and the dissemination of the Council of Europe's values;
22.3. reaffirm the principle of the independence of politics and law from religion;
22.4. continue to give thought to the religious dimension of intercultural dialogue, particularly by organising meetings with religious leaders and representatives of humanist and philosophical circles;
22.5. exclude from the consultation any grouping that does not clearly support the Council of Europe's fundamental values, namely human rights, democracy and the rule of law;
22.6. Identify and disseminate examples of good practice in respect of dialogue with leaders of religious communities;
22.7. Consider setting up an institute to devise syllabuses, teaching methods and educational material for the study of the religious heritage of the Council of Europe member states.
23. The Assembly further recommends that the Committee of Ministers encourage the member states:
23.1. to promote initial and in-service training for teachers with a view to the objective, balanced teaching of religions as they are today and religions in history, and to require human rights training for all religious leaders, in particular those with an educational role who are in contact with young people;
23.2. gradually to remove from legislation, if such is the will of the people, elements likely to be discriminatory from the angle of democratic religious pluralism.
B. Explanatory memorandum, by Mr Lluis Maria de Puig, rapporteur
Introduction
1. This report continues the Assembly's work
relating to religious tolerance in democratic society and in particular the
report I presented in 1999 on religion and democracy (Doc.8270 and Recommendation 1396). The committee organised a
colloquy on questions related to state and religion (Strasbourg, 27 February
2007), and I represented the Parliamentary Assembly at the European Conference
on the religious dimension of intercultural dialogue organised by the Committee
of Ministers on 23 and 24 April 2007 in San Marino. I should like to thank Mr
Frank Cranmer,
The present situation
2. Over the last sixty years the formal
practice of religion (or, at any rate, of Christianity) has declined markedly in
3. Over the past twenty years, all practice
of religion has appreciably declined in
4. With very few exceptions, the experience of secularisation has been a common theme in most European countries since 1945. What is not clear, however, is whether this trend represents a decline in participation in organised religion or a decline in belief in itself. A great deal has been written about what might be called “believing without belonging”: the increasing tendency for people to seek a more personal, almost privatised religious experience rather than taking part in public worship. But in spite of the decline in formal religious practice, questions of faith are attracting increasing attention.
5. One reason for the increasing interest in the relationship between faith-communities and secular authority may – paradoxically – be the very phenomenon of secularisation itself. As the practice of religion (of whatever kind) declines, there is a tendency for societies to ask why faith-communities should be given any kind of recognition by the civil authorities at all, let alone particular legal privileges or public funding while, at the same time, faith-communities may begin to feel beleaguered or marginalised.
6. Another reason may be increased globalisation and media attention, which has massively increased the visibility of what were previously marginal groups in a way that can be disproportionate to their numbers and importance.
7. Moreover, the worsening of the Palestinian problem, 9-11 and other terrorist attacks (Madrid, Casablanca, London), the constant destabilisation of the Middle East, war in Iraq, Lebanon and Afghanistan, US political confrontations with Syria, Iran, etc., all these tragic events and many others are concomitant with the idea of crisis between the Muslim and the Christian worlds, and this has placed the religious issue front-stage again in international current events, with episodes that call to mind the intolerance and sectarianism of another age.
8. Finally, the demographic change that has
resulted in a significant Islamic population in Europe for the first time since
the fall of the
The previous work of the Parliamentary Assembly
9. Managing cultural diversity in a positive, democratic way while building on its potential is essential for fostering security, stability and social cohesion; and since the Third Summit of the Heads of State and Government of the Council of Europe, intercultural dialogue and its religious dimension have become a political priority for the Council. The Assembly has a long history of engagement in this area: for example, Resolution 885 (1987) on the Jewish contribution to European culture, Resolution 916 (1989) on redundant religious buildings and Recommendation 1162 (1991) and Order No. 465 on the contribution of Islamic civilisation to European culture.
10. The Committee on Culture and Education considered the matter of religion and democracy in 1999. Its Report laid particular stress on the need for Member States to adopt a position of neutrality in matters of religion; and the resulting Recommendation 1396 adopted by the Assembly stressed the need for mutual recognition and respect between faith-communities and governments, in particular:
“4. It is not up to politicians to decide on religious matters. As for religions, they must not try to take the place of democracy or grasp political power; they must respect the definition of human rights, contained in the European Convention on Human Rights, and the rule of law.
5. Democracy and religion need not be incompatible; quite the opposite. Democracy has proved to be the best framework for freedom of conscience, the exercise of faith and religious pluralism. For its part, religion, through its moral and ethical commitment, the values it upholds, its critical approach and its cultural expression, can be a valid partner of democratic society.
6. Democratic states, whether secular or linked to a religion, must allow all religions that abide by the conditions set out in the European Convention on Human Rights to develop under the same conditions, and enable them to find an appropriate place in society.”
11. Rather than espousing the traditional
12. In April 2006 a group of Assembly
members tabled a motion for a recommendation on “the need for new steps in the
field of intercultural and interconfessional dialogue”. They pointed out that
“outbursts of interconfessional intolerance (…) which have become more frequent
recently, not only in
13. The President of the Assembly has stated
his interest in this issue. During his visit to the Holy See in April 2007 he
said: "Globalisation has bought the various cultures and religions into close
contact with one another. This proximity can be a source of enrichment, but also
of friction and misunderstanding. We are convinced that intercultural and
inter-religious dialogue is the only way of ensuring long-term peace and
stability in
14. The Assembly has consistently defended the view that in general there should not be special legislation for special groups, such as religions or sects but that such groups should abide by the general laws in the same way as any other group or person.
15. In 2006 the Assembly dealt with the issue of freedom of expression and respect for religious beliefs in the wake of the Danish cartoons controversy. In its Recommendation 1510 the Assembly states that “freedom of expression as protected under Article 10 of the European Convention on Human Rights should not be further restricted to meet increasing sensitivities of religious groups”.
Formal relations between states and religions
Separation, registration and legal recognition
16. The relationship between
17. In France, under the Loi du 9 décembre 1905 concernant la séparation des Églises et de l'État (Article 2 of which declares that France neither recognises nor subsidises any religion: La République ne reconnaît, ne salarie ni ne subventionne aucun culte) there is, in principle, strict separation between the two: laïcité. Moreover, Loi n° 2004-228 du 15 mars 2004 forbids the displaying of religious symbols by students in state schools “conspicuously” (ostensiblement). Public buildings may not exhibit religious symbols and, likewise, cemeteries cannot be denominational.
18. In reality, however, the degree of separation is less rigid than it might appear at first blush. The state pays the salaries of hospital, prison and military chaplains (because, in those particular circumstances, the practice of religion might otherwise be difficult) and, under what remains of the former 1801 Napoleonic Concordat with the Holy See, the President of the Republic is consulted about the appointment of Roman Catholic bishops. Under the amending Law of 1908, the state assumed ownership and the future maintenance of Roman Catholic places of worship built before the 1905 Loi de la Séparation, with the result that a considerable part of the building maintenance costs of the Roman Catholic Church are still met from public funds. Private confessional education is also recognised under the 1959 Loi Debré; and schools run by religious organisations can enter into contracts with the state provided that they agree not to impose any religious test on admissions. Religious organisation also benefit from tax concessions, and the donations of individual members are tax-deductible.
19. Moreover, because Alsace-Lorraine was
part of
20. Many states have formal arrangements for
the legal recognition of religious groups. In
21. The range of organisations so recognised
can vary widely. Some countries have very liberal rules for registration. In
The church tax
22. Perhaps most important, in several
states –
State recognition and “establishment”
23. States also vary according to the degree to which they give particular recognition to individual faith-communities.
24. Traditionally, in
25. In the
26. The unique constitutional position of
the Church of England has become a matter of some controversy. In support of the
present situation, it is argued that the Church is legally obliged to provide a
ministry to every part of
27.
Concordats with the Holy See
28. The position of the Roman Catholic
Church in international law is unusual in that the Pope, as well as being
Supreme Pontiff of the Church, is also Head of State of the
29. The current Concordat between the Holy
See and
30. Prior to the adoption of the 1947 Constitution, Italy’s relations with the Roman Catholic Church were governed by the 1929 Lateran Concordat establishing Roman Catholicism as the state religion. A 1984 revision of the Concordat, the Accord of Villa Madama, formalises the principle of a secular state but maintains the practice of state support for religion, including payment for teachers appointed by the Church to give religious instruction in state schools. However, it also provides state support for other denominations that request it; and the Government, with parliamentary approval, may conclude accords with individual denominations, whose ministers then gain access to state hospitals, prisons and military barracks, and who may then register religious marriages.
31.
32. In
33. Although they have concluded Concordats
with the Holy See,
34. In
"(1)
The religion of
(2) The
authorities of the Roman Catholic Apostolic Church have the duty and the right
to teach which principles are right and which are wrong.
(3) Religious teaching of the Roman Catholic Apostolic Faith shall be provided in all State schools as part of compulsory education."
35.
36. Similarly, in Ireland (which otherwise adopts a determinedly “separationist” attitude to church-state relations) under Article 40.3.3° of the Constitution the state “acknowledges the right to life of the unborn and, with due regard to the equal right to life of the mother, guarantees in its laws to respect, and, as far as practicable, by its laws to defend and vindicate that right”. Controversy over advertising by British abortion clinics in the Irish press led in 1992 to the addition to Article 40.3.3° of provisos (the legality of which were upheld by the Supreme Court in 1995) that the subsection should not limit the freedom “to travel between the State and another state” or “to obtain or make available, in the State, subject to such conditions as may be laid down by law, information relating to services lawfully available in another state”.
Orthodoxy
37. Under Article 3(1) of the Constitution
of Greece, “the prevailing religion in
38. Under the Treaty of Lausanne of 1923,
special provision is made for the Muslim minority of
39.
40. Article 28 of the Russian Constitution
guarantees “the freedom of conscience, the freedom of religion, including the
right to profess individually or together with other any religion or to profess
no religion at all, to freely choose, possess and disseminate religious and
other views and act according to them”. The 1997 Law on Freedom of Conscience
and Associations certainly does not recognise a “state religion”, and its
preamble recognises Christianity, Islam, Buddhism, Judaism, and other religions
as part of
Islam
41. Several member-states of the Council of
Europe have Muslim majorities:
42. After the death of Enver Hoxha in 1985,
43. The situation in the Serbian
44. The population of
45. Chapter II of the 1992 Law on Freedom of Religious Belief, as amended, requires members of religious associations to adopt and register charters setting out their organisational structure, assets and property settlements. Under Article 5, political parties may not engage in religious activity and religious leaders may not hold public office. Chapter II Article 8 subordinates all Islamic religious communities to the Caucasian Muslim Board in organisational matters. In 2004 the Juma mosque refused to register with the Board, claiming that Azerbaijan’s religious freedom laws did not require registration; in what became something of a cause célèbre, its imam was given a five-year suspended prison sentence for allegedly preaching radicalism. The State Committee for Work with Religious Associations is responsible for registering religious groups. According to the International Religious Freedom Report 2006 of the Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor of the US State Department, in 2005–2006, 27 religious groups were registered and six were rejected – of which five were non-Muslim; on the other hand one Baptist church was registered whose application had been previously refused.
46. In spite of the fact that its population
is overwhelmingly Muslim, since the establishment of the modern Turkish state by
Kemal Atatürk and İsmet İnönü and the ratification of the Constitution of 1921,
47. Article 2 of the present Constitution
defines the Republic as “a democratic, secular and social State governed by the
rule of law”; and Professor Talip Kucukcan suggests that “modern
48. The Turkish people’s attachment to
secularity was exemplified recently by the apparently spontaneous manifestations
which occurred in
49. In this respect, it should be mentioned
that certain instances of discrimination against religious minorities in
50. Unlike
51. The State Constitution of
52. Finally, there is also a continuing problem with regard to the restitution of religious property.
53. Besides the concerns stated regarding Bosnia-Herzegovina, we should include anxiety over discrimination undergone by believers in certain countries where there is emerging religious intolerance towards Christians as well as Islamophobia and anti-Semitism, attitudes embodying elements of a political and ethnic but also religious nature.
54. As well as countries with a Muslim
majority, an increasing number of states within the Council of Europe have a
significant Muslim presence. Muslims arrived in
55. The rise in the indigenous Muslim
population in
56. In a speech at the Muslim Cultural Heritage Centre in London on 5 April 2007 Ruth Kelly, Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, dedicated the United Kingdom Government to increased efforts in the fight against Islamophobia and anti-Semitism and, at the same time, denounced violent extremism preached by a tiny minority in the name of Islam. She argued that religious extremism could be defeated only by a multi-track approach: making sure that adequate legislation was in place to ensure that terrorists were brought to justice, promoting shared values about justice, peace and respect for fellow-citizens from all faith-communities, and supporting the role of faith institutions and their leaders.
57. There is no completely reliable estimate
of the Islamic population in
58. The other religions and religious communities present in Europe, such as Judaism, Buddhism, Sikhism and many more are not the subject of a special reference in this chapter since they do not raise specific issues (it would be interesting to enquire why this is so).
Religious diversity, the limits on intervention by the State and the limits of religious freedom
59. The modern plurality of religions – a
result, partially but not wholly, of post-colonial immigration into
60. Certain special cases will be dealt with in separate reports:
• Blasphemy, religious insults and hate
speech against persons on grounds of their religion (Rapporteur, Mrs Hurskainen);
• European Muslim communities confronted
with extremism (report by
the Political Affairs Committee, Rapporteur for opinion, Mrs Damanaki);
and
• The dangers of creationism in education (Rapporteur, Mr Lengagne).
61. Other matters of current concern include the equality of the sexes and the rights of homosexuals.
62. In circumstances where religious practice appears to conflict with human rights or the public interest, the first duty of governments is to respect the democratically expressed will of its citizens. The previous Report of the Committee on Culture and Education on Religion and Democracy that we referred to earlier set out, in effect, a series of principles that should guide future developments in relations between religion and the state:
• Religion and the State are not
incompatible within the democratic system;
• Freedom of religion is not an unlimited
freedom to justify any act whatsoever in the name of religion; the free exercise
of religion must be based on proportionality;
• Religious freedom suggests that
faith-communities must, through their own actions, determine their
position in the wider society of which they are a part;
• Governments must respect human rights in
relation to religious practices and ideas;
• Members of faith-communities must respect
democracy and the laws of the countries of which they are
citizens;
• Governments must acknowledge the position
of faith-communities and give them assistance corresponding to their
importance;
• Because religion and faith-communities are
part of society at large, it is in the public interest to ensure their cultural
and intellectual well-being as citizens of the wider
community;
• Governments should not involve themselves in the day-to-day activities of religious groups and should observe neutrality and non-discrimination in their dealings with faith-communities.
63. According to this report, it followed from these principles that the role of the State in relation to religion was twofold: to promote and protect those activities that helped build cohesion and stability in society, and to forbid anything that contradicted those values of humanism that are the basis of the legal and social structure of democracy. Therefore, the State could not allow violations of human dignity and of human rights in the name of a faith; faith-communities were obliged to observe the principles of democracy and the rule of law; and infringements of public order or the democratic rights of fellow-citizens could not be allowed to go unchecked. Equally, however, because religion was an important part of human culture and tradition, society ought to make it as easy as possible for citizens to exercise their religions, should facilitate worship and should promote the cultural expression of religion.
The contribution of religions to governance
64. Representatives of the religious
communities present at the Colloquium on Questions related to State and Religion
held in
65. Representatives of the secular humanist perspective, however, pointed out that there was a danger that “religious freedom”, instead of being interpreted as the liberty for every individual freely to practice his or her religion or belief, could easily became a freedom for unelected religious hierarchies to influence the public sphere; and in that connexion Mr Wood, of the UK National Secular Society, drew attention to the continued ex officio presence of Anglican bishops in the upper house of the United Kingdom Parliament. Mrs Pegna, Vice-President of the European Humanist Federation, contended that there was always a danger that formal representation of religion within the public sphere could become a threat to laïcité. She welcomed the Resolution of OSCE inviting member states, inter alia, to “ensure the effective equality between believers and non-believers” and to “foster a climate of mutual tolerance and respect between believers of different communities as well as between believers and non-believers”.
66. This danger of a drift beyond the
perfectly proper interest of faith-communities as citizens in the
activities of their governments, in accordance with democratic principles,
towards religious interference in what should be purely secular matters is a
danger that should be resisted. However, we should not ignore the historical
contributions of religions to the evolution of human thought and to progress.
Religions have contributed as much to the creation of a humanist morality
as to a religious one; and, in
67. Government should therefore recognise that the faith-communities can play an important part in fostering peace, tolerance, comprehensiveness, fraternity, solidarity, intercultural dialogue and all those virtues proclaimed as imperatives of faith that underlie religious discourse – even though, historically, some of the things that have been done in the name of religion were not good examples of any of these.
68. The State is not concerned with faith or beliefs, except to ensure that religious expressions are in accordance with the law; on the other hand it must protect the rights of believers as citizens and the rights of religious organisations as important elements of civil society. Moreover, in no circumstances can the rights of others or the collective rights of communities be limited in the name of a particular belief-system; and if there is ever a conflict between human rights and the dictates of faith, the State must always defend human rights.
69. This last is not always the easy option, as the United Kingdom Government recently found when it had to choose between asserting the right of same-sex couples to equal treatment in respect of adoption services and the moral objections of Roman Catholic agencies to placing children for adoption by such couples and, in the event, decided that the claims of equal treatment had to take precedence over religious objections based on moral theology. Another example is the homophobic attitude of the present Polish Government.
70. However, though there will always be difficult cases, “faith” and “human rights” should not be regarded as incompatible in principle, nor need they inevitably be opposed in practice. It is the promotion of shared values between faith-groups and the wider community that is the key.
Relations between the religions and the Council of Europe
71. Through the Holy See, which has observer
status with the Committee of Ministers, the Catholic Church has been represented
in the Council of Europe since 10 November 1970. This representation follows
from the
72. The Holy See is also signatory to the European Cultural Convention, the amended European Convention for the Protection of the Archaeological Heritage, the European Convention on the Academic Recognition of University Qualifications, the European Convention on Transfrontier Television, the Convention on the Recognition of Qualifications concerning Higher Education in the European Region (Council of Europe - Unesco), and the Protocol amending the European Convention on Transfrontier Television. Moreover, it is a member of the Council of Europe Development Bank and of various Partial Agreements adopted in the framework of the Council of Europe.
73. The European Convention held out against manifold pressure to include a reference to religion in the preamble to the draft European Constitution in 2005, as did the Commission in 2007 with the Berlin Declaration marking the fiftieth anniversary of the European Union. Despite history’s irrefutable lesson that the intellectual and civilising origins of Europe bear the imprint of Christianity, one cannot deny traces of Jewish monotheism as well as a significant Muslim influence that comes down from the Middle Ages, as the Assembly pointed out in its reports on the Jewish contribution to European culture (Doc. 5778) and the contribution of the Islamic civilisation to European culture (Doc. 6497). That is possibly the reason for avoiding reference to any one religion. The motive for avoiding reference to any religion whatsoever is the principle of separation between religion and state.
74. Religions as such are not represented in
any international intergovernmental organisation and it does not seem expedient
to alter this state of affairs. The Holy See’s observer status with the
Committee of Ministers ought not to be regarded as discriminating against the
other religions, since it is the State of the
75. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the
Council of Europe and the Assembly may have exchanges of views with religious
leaders, as some of its committees have often done. The Committee of Ministers
proposes to hold on an experimental basis “annual exchanges on the religious
dimension of intercultural dialogue” with representatives of the religions
traditionally present in
76. Assembly members, in particular the President, are invited to and regularly attend meetings organised by the various religions. This is another channel of communication between the religions and the Council of Europe.
77. Religious leaders have addressed the Assembly on several occasions. Paradoxically, despite the importance attached to dialogue, none of these dignitaries has agreed to answer the parliamentarians’ questions. In future, it would de desirable if every personality invited to address the Assembly consented to answer questions from the floor.
Conclusions
• The Assembly should seize this opportunity
to reaffirm the principles of separation between church and state and of the
supremacy of human rights, democracy and rule of law over any religious tenet.
• The Assembly should also encourage
evolution of our state structures and amendment of outmoded legislation on
religion.
• Religions too should evolve in the light
of scientific and social change, having regard to the new civic rights and
values.
• The free exercise of all religions should
be strictly compatible with democracy and human rights.
• There can be no opposition or
incompatibility between religion, democracy and human
rights.
• The Council of Europe should encourage and
assist intercultural dialogue and take account of the religious dimension as a
cultural and social reality in