The State and Religious Communities: Their Relationship and Its Development in Estonia after 1991

Dorota Maj

Abstract


In the academic debates on the relationship between the State and religious communities in Estonia there are two standpoints. The first one emphasizes the role of religious communities, particularly the Christian ones, in the formation of Estonian statehood as well as the history of the country. The activity of the churches in the sphere of charity and social welfare is perceived positively. At the same time, academics draw attention to the fact that Estonians are not very religious, thus all forms of privileging religious communities are considered debatable. The second approach also emphasizes the historical significance of religious communities, but simultaneously approves of their increased activity, especially in the context of rebuilding Estonian identity after the era of Soviet domination.

The goal of this article is to analyse the main assumptions of religious policy in Estonia after 1991, as well as the main factors that determined the current solutions. The conducted research is supposed to answer the question: why does the government of a country with one of the longest traditions of separation of state and religion in the region make many symbolic acts towards churches and religious associations? Furthermore, it will enable the verification of the hypothesis which assumes that the religious policy of contemporary Estonia is influenced by the conviction about the role of churches and religious associations in the history of the country, as well as by the recognition of religion as a factor in building the identity of the post-Soviet state.

The text is divided into three parts. In the first part will be analysed the issues of changes in the denominational structure of Estonia. The second part will present the results of the research on the historical conditions of Estonia's denominational policy. The last part will analyse the legal solutions in Estonia concerning the state-religious community relations.


Keywords


State; religious communities; law; secularization; Estonia; religious policy

Full Text:

PDF

References


Report on International Religious Freedom: Estonia, June 26, 2020, https://ee.usembassy.gov/2020-06-26-2/ (access: 13.01.2021).

A Short History of the Estonian Evangelical Lutheran Church, https://eelk.ee/en/our-church/history/ (access: 10.01.2021).

Calendar reform, http://www.estonica.org/en/Calendar_reform/ (access: 31.01.2021).

Casanova, J. 2005. Religie publiczne w nowoczesnym świecie, Zakład Wydawniczy „Nomos”, Kraków.

Cavegn, D. 2019. State signs cooperation agreement with Estonian Council of Churches, 16.02.2019, https://news.err.ee/910986/state-signs-cooperation-agreement-with-estonian-council-of-churches (access: 15.09.2021).

Churches and Congregations Act, “Riigi Teataja” I 2002, vol. 24, 135.

Ciechanowska, J., Szwed, K. 2018. Relacje państwo-Kościół w Republice Estonii, „Państwo i Społeczeństwo”, vol. 2(16), DOI: www.doi.org/10.15584/polispol.2018.2.7.

Conventio iter Apostolicam Sedem et Rem Publicam Estoniae, nr 7-2/16740, „Acta Apostolicae Sedis” 1999.

Dudra, S., Król-Mazur, R., Maj, D. 2018. Polityka wyznaniowa. Wschodnia i ekumeniczna perspektywa eklezjalna, Wydawnictwo Morpho-Instytut Politologii Uniwersytetu Zielonogórskiego, Zielona Góra.

Eesti Vabariigi Põhiseadus, Asutava Kogu poolt 15. junnil 1920 a. vastuvõetud, Riigi Teataja 1920, 113/114, 243.

Eesti Vabariigi Valitsuse ja Eesti Kirikute Nõukogu ühishuvide protokoll, 2002, http://www.ekn.ee/dokumendid/vv_ekn_yhishuvi_17.10.02.pdf (access: 15.09.2021).

Engelhardt, J. 2015. Singing in the Right Way. Orthodox Christians and Secular Enchantment in Estonia, Oxford University Press, Oxford-New York.

Estonian Council of Churches, http://www.ekn.ee/eng.php?leht=Inglise&alamleht=Member_churches_of_the_Estonian_Council_of_Churches (access: 12.01.2021).

Jääts, I. 2000. Ethnic identity of the Setus and the Estonian‐Russian border dispute, „Nationalities Papers”, vol. 28 (4).

Kiviorg, M. 1999. Church Autonomy and Religious Liberty in Estonia, „Juridica International”, vol. IV.

Kiviorg, M. 2003. Church and State in Estonia, [in:] Law and Religion in Post-Communist Europe, S. Ferrari, W. Cole Durham, Jr. (eds.), Leuven-Paris-Dudley, MA.

Kiviorg, M. 2010. Religion and the Secular State in Estonia, [in:] Religion and the Secular State. Interim National Reports, J. Martínez-Torrón, W. Cole Durham, Jr. (eds.), The International Center for Law and Religion Studies - Brigham Young University, Washington, D.C.

Krukowski, J. 2010. Konkordaty z państwami Europy Środkowej i Wschodniej zawarte na przełomie XX i XXI wieku, „Teka Komisji Prawniczej PAN Oddział w Lublinie”, t. III.

Lewandowski, J. 2002. Historia Estonii, Ossolineum, Wrocław-Warszawa-Kraków.

Ławreszuk, M. 2009. Prawosławie wobec tendencji nacjonalistycznych i etnofiletystycznych, Wyd. Nauk. Semper, Warszawa.

Maj, D. 2016. Konferencja Kościołów Europejskich wobec integracji europejskiej, Wydawnictwo Uniwersytetu Marii Curie-Skłodowskiej, Lublin.

Maj, D. 2018. Demokracja bezpośrednia a kwestie religijne w republikach bałtyckich, [in:] Politologia religii, M. Marczewska-Rytko, D. Maj (eds.), Wydawnictwo Uniwersytetu Marii Curie-Skłodowskiej, Lublin, s. 276-281.

Melvin, N. 1995. Russians beyond Russia. The Politics of National Identity, Royal Institute of International Affairs, London.

Oinas, F.J. 1974. The position of the Setus in Estonian folklore, „Journal of Baltic Studies”, vol. 5.

Orzeszyna, K. 2007. Podstawy relacji między państwem a Kościołami w konstytucjach państw członkowskich i traktatach Unii Europejskiej. Studium prawnoporównawcze, Wydawnictwo KUL, Lublin.

Pełczyński, G. 2014. Ewangeliczni chrześcijanie-baptyści w ZSRR, 27.09, http://www.sprawynauki.edu.pl/archiwum/dzialy-wyd-elektron/325-religioznawstwo/2902-ewangeliczni-chrzecijanie-baptyci-w-zsrr (access: 29.12.2020).

Pełczyński, G. 2017. Rosyjscy baptyści i ewangeliczni chrześcijanie w latach dwudziestych XX wieku, „Przegląd Wschodnioeuropejski”, vol. VIII.

Piasecki, K. 2014. The birth of new ethnoses? Examples from Northern Europe, „ Our Europe. Ethnography – Ethnology – Anhropology of Culture” 2014, vol. 3.

Pietrzak, M. 2005. Prawo wyznaniowe, Wydawnictwo Prawnicze Lexis-Nexis, Warszawa.

Poleshchuk, V. (ed.). 2009. Chance to Survive Minority Rights in Estonia and Latvia, Foundation for Historical Outlook, Moscow – Paris – Tallinn.

Rimestad, S. 2012. Modernising Church Life: the Case of the Interwar Orthodox Churches in Estonia and Latvia, “Religion, State and Society”, vol. 40 (3-4).

Ringvee, R. 2008. State, Religion and Legal Framework in Estonia, „Religion, State & Society”, vol. 36, nr 2.

Schihalejev, O. 2014. Religious education at schools in Estonia, [in:] Religious education at schools in Europe: Northern Europe, M. Rothgangel, G. Skeie, M. Jäggle (eds), V&R Unipress, Göttingen.

Sobczak, J. 2018. Struktura organizacyjna Cerkwi prawosławnej w państwach Azji Środkowej, “Nowa Polityka Wschodnia”, vol. 4(19).

Statute of the Russian Ortodox Church adopted by the Council of Bishops in 2000, amended by the Council of Bishops in 2008 and 2011, and adopted and amended by the Council of Bishops in 2013, https://mospatusa.com/files/statute-of-the-russian-orthodox-church.pdf (access: 15.01.2021).

The Constitution of the Republic of Estonia, passed 28.06.1992, „Riigi Teataja” 1992, vol. 26, 349.

Topij, A. 1998. Mniejszość niemiecka na Łotwie i w Estonii 1918–1939/41, Wyd. Uczelnianej Wyższej Szkoły Pedagogicznej, Bydgoszcz.




DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.17951/k.2021.28.2.71-87
Date of publication: 2022-03-04 21:51:53
Date of submission: 2021-12-21 18:30:32


Statistics


Total abstract view - 1181
Downloads (from 2020-06-17) - PDF - 483

Indicators



Refbacks

  • There are currently no refbacks.


Copyright (c) 2022

Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.