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Re-examinging the Wall of Separation: A Cross-National Study of Religious Pluralism and Democracy

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  20 December 2012

Ryan J. Rebe
Ryan J. Rebe*
Affiliation:
Texas Tech University
*
Address correspondence and reprint requests to: Ryan J. Rebe, Department of Political Science, Texas Tech University, 3301 4th Street, Lubbock, TX 79415. E-mail: ryan.rebe@ttu.edu
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Abstract

Mutual autonomy between religious and state institutions is often seen as a key ingredient for democratization. Yet, there are a large number of democracies with an established religion. If a separation of church and state is desirable for the maintenance of a stable democracy, then why do so many democracies continue to support religious institutions and practices? As the evidence from this study reveals, the difference between democracies and non-democracies does not depend on a wall of separation between church and state, but instead, on the protection of religious freedom for minority groups and the promotion of secular legislation.

Type
Articles
Information
Politics and Religion , Volume 5 , Issue 3 , December 2012 , pp. 655 - 670
Copyright
Copyright © Religion and Politics Section of the American Political Science Association 2012

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