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The German Constitution (which is called "Grundgesetz", literally translated to "Basic Law") has the following to say about religious freedom:Article 4 (Freedom of faith, of conscience and of creed)Article 140 of the Basic Law states that articles 136-137 of the Weimar constitution are part of the Basic Law. These articles are:(1) Freedom of faith and of conscience, and freedom of creed religious or ideological, are inviolable.
(2) The undisturbed practice of religion is guaranteed.
(3) No one may be compelled against his conscience to render war service as an armed combatant. Details will be regulated by a Federal law.
Article 136. (Weimar Constitution)Civil and political rights and duties are neither dependent upon nor restricted by the practice of religious freedom.
The enjoyment of civil and political rights, as well as admission to official posts, is independent of religious creed.
No one is bound to disclose his religious convictions. The authorities have the right to make enquiries as to membership of a religious body only when rights and duties depend upon it, or when the collection of statistics ordered by law requires it.
No one may be compelled to take part in any ecclesiastical act or ceremony, or the use of any religious form of oath.Article 137. (Weimar Constitution)
There is no state church.
Freedom of association is guaranteed to religious bodies. There are no restrictions as to the union of religious bodies within the territory of the Federation.
Each religious body regulates and administers its affairs independently within the limits of general laws. It appoints its officials without the cooperation of the Land, or of the civil community.
Religious bodies acquire legal rights in accordance with the general regulations of the civil code.
Religious bodies remain corporations with public rights in so far as they have been so up to the present.
Equal rights shall be granted to other religious bodies upon application, if their constitution and the number of their members offer a guarantee of permanency.
When several such religious bodies holding public rights combine to form one union this union becomes a corporation of a similar class.
Religious bodies forming corporations with public rights are entitled to levy taxes on the basis of the civil tax rolls, in accordance with the provisions of Land law.
Associations adopting as their work the common encouragement of a world-philosophy shall be placed upon an equal footing with religious bodies.
So far as the execution of these provisions may require further regulation, this is the duty of the Land legislature.
Translation kindly provided by General Electric's Germany & Europe Round Table.
Full text of the German constitution:
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Problems? Comments? Mail to Cornelius Krasel (phak004@rzbox.uni-wuerzburg.de)