Managing religious diversity in Europe: legal implications of religious affiliation and change of religion

Abstract

Religious diversity has become an increasingly common fact of life as migratory flows take on planet-wide dimensions. The aim of this contribution is to reflect on major moments involving religious affiliation. To a religious body, autonomy is what religious freedom is to individuals, it reflects the true essence of the right to religious freedom in its collective dimension. In all cases, according to European Court case law, the religious freedom of the individual is sufficiently safeguarded by the fact that a person is free to abandon his religious community at any time. The abandonment of religious community is an expression of religious freedom but at the same time is an act with religious content. The full recognition of the right to change religion is a necessary step on the road to achieving a better management of religious diversity in the multifaith societies that characterize Western countries. Religious laws usually determine the rights and the duties of members inside the group.