State Secretariat for Religious Affairs STATE SECRETARIAT FOR RELIGIOUS AFFAIRS STATE and Religion in Romania 2nd Edition Revised and Added translated by Della L. Marcus Bucharest 2019 2 State and Religion in Romania © 2019 State Secretariat for Religious Affairs web: www.culte.gov.ro e-mail: [email protected] tel.: +40.21.318.81.53; +40.21.318.81.54 fax.: +40.21.318.81.51; +40.21.318.81.60 Descrierea CIP a Bibliotecii Naţionale a României State and Religion in Romania / Secretariatul de Stat pentru Culte.–Bucureşti: Litera, 2019 ISBN 978-606-33-3759-8 I. Secretariatul de Stat pentru Culte (Bucureşti) 2 CONTENT Introduction .....................................................................................................................5 1. What is the State Secretariat for Religious Affairs?. ...................................................9 2. Short Institutional History ........................................................................................15 3. Evolution of the Religious Affiliation Structure........................................................27 4. What Church-State relations exist in democratic countries? ...................................39 5. Publicly Debated Issues ............................................................................................97 6. Religious organizations.......................................... ....................................................127 7. Legislation Relating to Religious Life ......................................................................165 Annexes ....................................................................................................................... 211 Glossary .......................................................................................................................217 Translator’s note ...........................................................................................................219 Bibliography ................................................................................................................221 4 INTroDUcTION This book is an overview by the State Secretariat for Religious Affairs of several issues being debated in connection with the status of religion in society, and specifically of those religions recognized by the Romanian State. The relationship between the State and recog- nized religions, especially with the Romanian Orthodox Church, has become the focus of some public figures, politicians, and the media. Through our activities, including the publication of this work, we wish to contribute to a balanced debate based on concrete data, legisla- tion, and an understanding of the historic evolution of the relation- ship between the State and faith organizations in our country. We are talking about constitutive elements of national identity, whose com- plexity requires an objective approach, as an essential condition for civil, argument-driven debate. The State Secretariat for Religious Affairs knows how to carry out its mission as principal institution through which the Romanian State defines, articulates, and puts into practice pub- lic policies having to do with religious life in Romania, and wish- es to facilitate an honest dialogue, open to all interested parties. This book, compiled by the State Secretariat for Religious Affairs in collaboration with the Ministry for Foreign Affairs through the Romanian Embassies in the North Atlantic region, the National Institute for Statistics, and the National Authority for the Restitution of Properties, makes available to the public a series of data and information that will provide a deeper understanding of the relationship between the State and the various religions from a historic perspective and within a European context. This book is intended to be a working instrument for po- litical decision-makers, the diplomatic corps, civil servants di- rectly involved with such matters, as well as religious leaders. Moreover, this volume is destined for researchers who are con- cerned with the Romanian religious phenomenon, and for civil society players who are directly interested in the improvement of the functioning of the Romanian political and judicial system. 6 First, we wish to offer through this book some clarification of the status of the State Secretariat for Religious Affairs as part of and its role within the central public administration, and an in- cursion into its history as a key institution in the modern State’s relation with the manifestation of various religious phenome- non in Romania. Second, we would also like to provide the pub- lic relevant statistical data to help it understand the evolution of the religious structures of the modern Romanian population. The Romanian model of church-state relations, as it is de- fined by Law 489/2006 on Freedom of Religion and the General Status of Religions, is part of the European family of models of church-state relations, central to which are religious freedom and the principle of state neutrality with respect to the manifestations of religious phenomenon. As is the case also in other European countries, relations between the state and organized forms of re- ligious life in Romania have been developed based on historic, legal, and local institutional traditions, while taking into account existing European models, as well as the demographic situation, social and spiritual needs, and society’s current expectations. An overview of the main themes related to the church-state relation- ship, currently under debate and part of the public agenda, illus- trates the stakes yet to be clarified within Romanian society and the political system. In short, the scope of this book is a clarifica- tion of the place and role of religion in the public space. In order to better understand the main players in Romania’s religious life and the role these have had and are playing in Romanian society, this book offers a short description of the cur- rent situation and activities of recognized religions and religious associations in Romania. Far from being isolated in the private sphere and the liturgical space, one can observe that almost all of these have understood that they must play an active part in vari- ous areas. Whether we speak about education, charitable activi- ties, social or medical services, or cultural projects, organized faiths in Romania are acting as significant players in the public space. The chapter in the previous edition of this book (2015) dedicated to the relationship between the state and religious organizations in Europe has been restructured and expanded. In this way we wish to draw a comparison between the consonance of the Romanian model with the practices in the different European countries in terms of relations between church and state and the place these 7 have in terms of tradition and the legal and political practices of democratic countries. The end of the book contains a selection of legislation in effect in this area which should prove to be a useful instrument for those wishing to understand the way in which the Romanian state relates to the activities of faiths in Romania. To date, the State Secretariat for Religious Affairs has pub- lished several editions of a book on religious life in Romania (in Romanian in 1993, 1999, 2005, 2008, and 2014, and in English in 1999, 2005, and 2015). Because the previous editions were so well received by the religious organizations as well as by decision-mak- ers, the diplomatic corps, universities, etc., this current edition has been expanded, and it focuses on an explanation of the role and contribution of the State Secretariat for Religious Affairs in the de- velopment and administration of the relationship between church and state in Romania. This is the reason why space allocated to legislation and a detailed presentation of the religious organiza- tions has been reduced in favour of greater historical and statisti- cal information and a presentation of the vision of the institution on matters that are presently being publicly debated and which di- rectly affect the dynamic of the relationship between the state and religious organizations. All the data and information carried over from the above-mentioned previous editions has been updated. The data is also presented in a more accessible graphic form. Within the European and Romanian context in which there is increasing talk of a significant rise in the level of religious illiter- acy, as well as an increase in the level of religious illiteracy regard- ing religious freedom, we believe that the publication of this book is a contribution to a better understanding of religious life and es- pecially a duty to raise public awareness about religious freedom as a fundamental, constitutional right at the root of democracy. Likewise, through the publication of this volume in 2019 the State Secretariat for Religious Affairs wishes to contribute to a success- ful Romanian Presidency of the Council of the European Union, by highlighting the fundamental role which religions have had and still have today, both historically and at present, in the building of a better, more democratic, and more unitive society. Victor Opaschi State Secretary for Religious Affairs May 2019 8 CHAPTER 1 What is the State Secretariat for Religious Affairs? The State Secretariat for Religious Affairs (SSRA) is a special- ized, central, public administration body, a legal entity, subor- dinate to the government, and coordinated by the Romanian Prime Minister. 1.1. What are the objectives of the State