The place of religion in the EU

Abstract

Since the beginning of civilization religions have played a part in people's lives and while there are many different views about religion, there is no denying its impact on both a societal level and on the private level. Discourse on whether religion played a role in the formation of the European and whether it still deserves a place in the European Union is continuous and will probably never be settled. However, with such an impact on the lives of the people who are citizens of the EU it would be impossible for religions to not also have been a part of its history. Inspired by this notion the study seeks to answer the question: How do religions fit into the European Union? As this is a relatively broad question, this study focuses on three of the main elements in which religions have an impact on the European Union. These three elements are reflected in the three interlinking sub research questions used to direct the research: How are religions reflected in Europe's history and identity? How are religions reflected on the national level? How are religions represented on a supranational level? In order to answer these questions the different theories and models of the each element were researched and documented through a structured literature review. The research reviewed suggests that religion is an important factor in the lives of many EU citizens. The values instilled in European citizens by religion throughout history and the effect it has had on their identities will be continuous factors in the development of the EU. This is through the religious beliefs of the EU leaders, the people that the EU institutions represent and the relationships that each member state has with religions. The importance of separation of religion and governance when making decisions is important for the EU to be able to represent all of its citizens irrespective of their religious beliefs, however the roles played by religion on the individual level, national level and supranational level have been important not only historically but in order to truly move forward as a unified Europe.