}Friendly/radical separation
}Collaboration
}Autonomy
}Relationship
}Historical background (e.g. legal historical position of churches)
}Socio-cultural background
}Religious tradition

}Non-secular states :
}a) state[s] governed by divine law (theocratic states), e.g. Iran ruled by ayatollahs and
Afghanistan of the Taliban
}b) state[s] where one religion benefits from a formal alliance with the government (certain
confessional communities/denominations are officially established and supported by the state), e.g.
Islam in Malaysia, Hinduism in Nepal, Catholicism in Argentina, Bolivia and Costa Rica, Buddhism in
Thailand
}

}c) state[s] that [have] an established church or religion, but that nonetheless respect more than
one religion, i.e. Great Britain, Denmark, Norway (see e.g. the system of education)
}

}Secular states:
}a) anti-religious, secular states (secular authorities interfere in religious matters, a church’s
freedom of activity is limited), e.g. China and historically Soviet Union (and other East European
countries of that period)
}b) neutral or disengaged states with radical separation of church and state, accompanied by their
mutual distance and autonomy; both confessional communities and the state have no opportunity to
intrude into each other’s areas of activity; e.g. the United States (especially after the first
amendment to the constitution in 1791) and France (since 1905)
}

}c) secular states asserting equal respect and principled distance (the idea of separation in a
less radical sense than in the laic concept); autonomy of both the states and churches; forms of
collaboration) e.g. state financial support of confessional schools, which is combined with state
control e.g. in the context of preventing gender discrimination); the state does not officially
privilege any religion or worldview; legal opportunities of state interference is justified by the
need to protect equality and freedom; e.g. according to H.-M. ten Napel: the Netherlands after
1917;

}States which proclaim a strict separation between the state and religious groups (France, Turkey)
}States with established majority churches (England and Scotland, Denmark)
}States that have signed concordats/ agreements with churches and religious communities (Italy,
Spain, Germany)
}States with ‘conditional pluralism’ (Belgium, the Netherlands)

}Laic state?
}Secular state?
}Non-secular state?
}vs.
}multiculturalism
}

Passive state
Active state
The position of communities (groups)
Passive pluralism
Active pluralism
The rights of individuals
Formal secularism
Substantial secularism

}Freedom vs. equality
}Neutrality
}Separation vs. Collaboration
}Individual vs. collective rights
}
}State financial support, tax exemptions
}Religious instructions, prayer at schools
}Religious symbols in the public space
}
}