Religious Minorities and Religious Schools in Europe

The Reformation movement in the 16th century (between 1517 and 1648) divided the Western Church in Europe (a disruption with the Orthodox Church had already taken place in 1054) into Catholic-dominated and Protestant-dominated parts. Religious wars occurred. Between 1618 and 1648 the Thirty Years' War destroyed main parts of central Europe. The Peace of Westphalia (1648) allowed the respective Princes of State to decide on the confession of their people (cuius regio, eius religio). In the Protestant-oriented states in the North a new alliance of crown and altar took place. The issue of religious minority rights became important.

In the 18th century the Enlightenment and the French Revolution led to a separation of state and church in different variants and to the recognition of freedom of ...