The Dutch Model of Positive Neutrality in European Context
Sophie van Bijsterveld Tuesday, 6 July 2010
Every state in Western Europe has its own system of church-state relationships. Consequently, each has its own guidelines for how the state supports churches financially. In this article I assess the Dutch system in a broader context, and explain the reasons—in particular, the legal justifications in terms of "positive neutrality"—for financial subsidy of religious organizations by the state. I first discuss the different types of church-state relationships in Western Europe in general. I then look specifically at the systems of financial relationships between church and state, focusing on some common characteristics and highlighting a few specific features of some of the systems. Finally, I offer a comparative analysis of the Dutch system and some concluding remarks on this system in European perspective.
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