Публічна політика у сфері релігії в країнах ЄС: інтеграційні процеси та моделі державно-церковних відносин у постсекулярному суспільстві

Abstract

The purpose of the article is to analyze the current status of public policy in the field of religion at the level of a unified system of the EU law, as well as models of church-state relations in the European countries in terms of a post-secular society. Scientific novelty. In view of the fact that the available methodological approaches to the problems under the study predominantly have a narrow profile, we need some relevant research, which would comprehensively consider the European approaches and models of relations between the state and the church as a complex integrated management system, given its possible implementation in public administration practice of Ukraine. Conclusions. The EU policy on church-state relations is implemented in two key and interlinked areas: 1) protection of the right to freedom of activity of religious organizations; 2) cooperation with religious denominations and establishing interreligious dialogue. At the same time, the European Union has been strongly committed to the principle of autonomy of religion and politics, avoiding direct influence and even more pressure not only on a particular denomination, but also on the whole system of relations historically developed between churches and the EU member states. In the XXI century, religious organizations have still been active participants in the EU social processes. Leaders of European churches and various religious organizations have increasingly been declaring their position on a wide range of sensitive socio-political issues of concern to civil society, and European politicians have increasingly been challenged by the place of religion and religious institutions in European integration processes. An analysis of the models of church-state relations in the EU countries shows that none of them can be considered universal, because each has both pros and cons. Similarly, it can hardly be concluded that the existence of at least some of them in pure form is possible. Modern EU member states seek to generalize both the traditions associated with their own state-building and the best traditions of their neighbors, and in practice this leads to the emergence of mixed models, where only some elements correlated with the principles of state development can be highlighted.