Legal bases of European interstate integration in the context of interfaith relations

Abstract

Since ancient times religion has influenced not only the lives of individuals and societies but also world politics and international relations. The confessional factor plays a crucial role in relations between states. Since states often use the confessional environment to realize their geopolitical interests, the aim of this article is to analyze the role and place of state-church relations in the processes of European integration and determine the legal basis for the activity of interfaith organizations. The methodological framework of this article is based on an axiological approach which allows the authors to analyze the influence of religion on the law-making processes and the formation of a system of norms and values of society. The authors apply the dialectic method to examine the "civilization-culture" continuum of law and substantiate its dependence on religion in developing a common vector of European integration processes. The author also used the methods of analysis and synthesis to identify the interaction of legal and religious norms and to characterize the influence of the church on relations in society. In the framework of the study, the comparative legal method was also partially used, which played a key role in determining the influence of religion on the formation of legal norms. The article concludes that the church has become the activating factor for the formation of the axiological dimension of European integration.