Religious freedom in EU

Europe is regarded as a continent granting religious freedom to its citizens and promoting it in the world. Religious freedom is a concept elaborated on the ground of Christianity. Secularisation is changing the social context in Europe and thus also the meaning of freedom of religion. In consequence, also the legal framework on freedom of religion is being changed. EU law and policy is an expression of this evolution.

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1. The theory of religious freedom (five dimensions of freedom of religion)

2. Freedom of religion in international law

3. Different models of Church-State relations in some of the EU Member States

4. Freedom of religion in the EU primary law (Charter of Fundamental Rights, art 17 TFEU, transparency register).

5. The impact of the EU secondary law on religious freedom in the EU.

6. The EU soft law and freedom of religion (resolutions, declarations, The EU Guidelines on freedom of religion or belief)

7. Annual reports on freedom of religion in the EU and in the world (Freedom House, Pew Research Centre, Open Doors, Aid to the Church in Need, COMECE Report on religious freedom, Observatory on Intolerance and Discrimination against Christians in Europe)

8. Tensions between politics and religious communities around ethical issues

9. Hate speech laws and freedom of religion

10. Current initiatives concerning freedom of religion in the Council of Europe

1. Aid to the Church in Need, Persecuted and Forgotten? A Report on Christians oppressed for their Faith 2013-2015.

2. COMECE, Religious Freedom. Pilar of the human rights policy in the external relations of the European Union, Brussels 2010

3. William Cavanaugh, Migrations of the Holy. God, State, and the Political Meaning of the Church, Michigan 2011

4. William Cavanaugh, The Myth of Religious Violence, Oxford 2009

Georges Corm, La question religiese au XXIe siecle, Paris 2006

5. Paul Coleman, Censored. How European „hate speech“ laws are threatening freedom of speech, Kairos Publications, November 2012

6. Ronan McCrea, Religion and the Public Order of the European Union, Oxford 2010

7. Gabriel Motzkin, Yochi Fischer (eds), Religion and democracy in contemporary Europe, London 2011

8. Pontificio Consiglio della Cultura, Sfide della secolarizzazione in Europa. 8. Roma 2008

Stefano Allievi, La Guerra delle moschee. L’Europa e la sfida del pluralism religioso, Venezia 2010

9. Krzysztof Michalski, Nina zu Fuerstenberg (eds), Europa laica e puzzle religioso, Venezia 2005

10. Pierre Manent, Beyond Radical Secularism, S. Augustin's Press, South Bend 2016.

11. Stępkowski, J. Banasiuk (eds), “Persecution of Christians. Time to React to Genocide”, Ordo Iuris Institute for Legal Culture, Warszawa 2017.

12. R.J. Rychlak, J. F. Adolphe (eds), The Persecution and Genocide of Christians in the Middle East. Prevention, Prohibition, & Prosecution, University of Mississippi, Ave Maria School of Law, Naples, Angelico Press 2017.

Useful websites:

- Aid to the Church in Need, http://www.churchinneed.org/site/PageServer?pagename=mainpage

- Freedom House, https://freedomhouse.org

- Observatory on Intolerance and Discrimination against Christians in Europe, http://www.intoleranceagainstchristians.eu

- Open Doors, https://www.opendoors.org

- Pew Research Centre, http://www.pewforum.org

General understanding of the philosophical and legal concept of religious freedom. Knowledge on the EU policy on religious freedom as expressed in the EU primary, secondary and soft law. Understanding of contemporary political debates on freedom of religion.

Lecture with elements of the discussion. Oral exam at the end of trimester on the ground of lecture and literature proposed in the syllabus. Participation in online lectures is compulsory.