Juliana MacPherson on Secularism and Catholicism in France
February 12, 2007
The intersection of religion and politics in France is a complex, and at times even contradictory, phenomenon. Although France and the United States both assert a similar separation between church and state, the methods of carrying out this principle vary greatly. Whereas the United States stresses the concept of pluralism, traditionally Catholic France practices laïcité, or the complete absence of religion in political and governmental affairs.
France is particularly proud of its policy on political secularism, which is mentioned in Article 1 of their constitution: "La France est une république, unie, indivisible, laïque et sociale." Despite this dominant theme of laïcité, however, France is in many ways still a Christian nation influenced by Catholic thought. Catholicism remains intertwined with the multiple political parties, especially those on the political right who oppose same-sex marriage and push for stronger immigration laws. In recent years, the unique relationship between government and religion in France has taken a new turn. Complicated by increased rates of immigration as well as a general trend of secularism, the connection between faith and politics is constantly present and changing.
Immigration is currently a major issue of political debate in France, for with a diverse population the nation must learn to adjust to new norms, values, and customs. Due to a steady influx of foreigners over the past several years, France is becoming increasingly diverse in culture, language, and religion, and Islam is now the number two religion across the nation. For right-wing political parties who stress the importance of France's history and heritage, it is important to control these changes and call for stricter laws on immigration and citizenship.
In the face of a shifting population, the French government has made efforts to avoid cultural and religious conflict within the public sphere. As recently as 2004, France passed a law banning students from wearing conspicuous religious symbols in public schools. The initial reaction was anger and fierce objection from nearly all sides. Created to protect religious minorities and avoid prejudice in academic settings, the ruling was criticized as discriminatory because it concerned any religion that required wearing a burqa, veil, or yarmulke, but rarely—if ever—affected Christian students. Furthermore, the change pressured many religious minorities to leave the public school system and enroll in private schools where education was expensive and not always easily accessible to non-Christians.
As of late, the 2004 ruling is more widely supported by the general public of France, a fact that may not only demonstrate an acceptance of laïcité, but also a general trend of secularism within the country. Whereas France was approximately 80 percent Catholic 30 years ago, now only about half of the populace identify themselves as Catholic. This development is due in part to the immigration of non-Christian populations, but can also be attributed to increased secularization. Even among Catholics, fewer individuals are formally practicing, and religion and politics seem to be moving farther apart. France's quotidian newspaper Le Monde describes this phenomenon as le grand triomphe du libéralisme, or the increased separation between the private domain of religion and culture, and the public domain of social and political life.
One possible indication of this movement towards secularization is the PACS (Pacte Civil de Solidarité), a non-religious union for both homosexual and heterosexual couples. Under the PACS, couples have the right to file for taxes together and receive various other benefits granted to married couples. In the past several years, the rate of marriage—a ritual generally rooted in religion—has been decreasing, whereas the rate of the PACS has been steadily on the rise. On the one hand, this civil union can be seen as a way for the French government to avoid the controversial debate on same-sex marriage and to placate the Catholic population that opposes it. On the other hand, however, the prevalence of the PACS may also be evidence of a broader trend of secularization within the nation.
Despite increased diversity and secularization in France, religion continues to play a part in politics. Even with strong efforts on the part of the government to be unbiased and sidestep alienating controversies, it is not always easy to avoid conflict and come to peaceful solutions. With a population that is constantly changing, France may find that the concept of laïcité is more difficult in practice than it is in theory. Although there are still traces of political unrest and disquiet in France, these complex issues are promoting discussion and encouraging positive change within a country feeling the effects of globalization and a shrinking world.
Immigration is currently a major issue of political debate in France, for with a diverse population the nation must learn to adjust to new norms, values, and customs. Due to a steady influx of foreigners over the past several years, France is becoming increasingly diverse in culture, language, and religion, and Islam is now the number two religion across the nation. For right-wing political parties who stress the importance of France's history and heritage, it is important to control these changes and call for stricter laws on immigration and citizenship.
In the face of a shifting population, the French government has made efforts to avoid cultural and religious conflict within the public sphere. As recently as 2004, France passed a law banning students from wearing conspicuous religious symbols in public schools. The initial reaction was anger and fierce objection from nearly all sides. Created to protect religious minorities and avoid prejudice in academic settings, the ruling was criticized as discriminatory because it concerned any religion that required wearing a burqa, veil, or yarmulke, but rarely—if ever—affected Christian students. Furthermore, the change pressured many religious minorities to leave the public school system and enroll in private schools where education was expensive and not always easily accessible to non-Christians.
As of late, the 2004 ruling is more widely supported by the general public of France, a fact that may not only demonstrate an acceptance of laïcité, but also a general trend of secularism within the country. Whereas France was approximately 80 percent Catholic 30 years ago, now only about half of the populace identify themselves as Catholic. This development is due in part to the immigration of non-Christian populations, but can also be attributed to increased secularization. Even among Catholics, fewer individuals are formally practicing, and religion and politics seem to be moving farther apart. France's quotidian newspaper Le Monde describes this phenomenon as le grand triomphe du libéralisme, or the increased separation between the private domain of religion and culture, and the public domain of social and political life.
One possible indication of this movement towards secularization is the PACS (Pacte Civil de Solidarité), a non-religious union for both homosexual and heterosexual couples. Under the PACS, couples have the right to file for taxes together and receive various other benefits granted to married couples. In the past several years, the rate of marriage—a ritual generally rooted in religion—has been decreasing, whereas the rate of the PACS has been steadily on the rise. On the one hand, this civil union can be seen as a way for the French government to avoid the controversial debate on same-sex marriage and to placate the Catholic population that opposes it. On the other hand, however, the prevalence of the PACS may also be evidence of a broader trend of secularization within the nation.
Despite increased diversity and secularization in France, religion continues to play a part in politics. Even with strong efforts on the part of the government to be unbiased and sidestep alienating controversies, it is not always easy to avoid conflict and come to peaceful solutions. With a population that is constantly changing, France may find that the concept of laïcité is more difficult in practice than it is in theory. Although there are still traces of political unrest and disquiet in France, these complex issues are promoting discussion and encouraging positive change within a country feeling the effects of globalization and a shrinking world.
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