Staatskirche#
Established Church, state church, union of Church and State as "societates perfectae" under state leadership, with a privileged church. The Peace of Augsburg of 1555 placed secular and spiritual powers in the hands of princes, whose choice of religion was made obligatory for their subjects. In each territory of the empire only one denomination was to be recognised. Absolutism and Josephinism claimed general jurisdiction; the state was to supervise the church and influence its organisation and appointments, the church's influence on the state ("placet") was reduced to a minimum, and appeals were to lie to state authorities. Since the Edict of Tolerance of 1781 Austria has granted different denominations freedom of religion and the status of recognised religious communities endowed with corporate rights, who are free to organise and administer their internal affairs independently of state interference. The National Socialist regime was openly hostile to the churches. After its end, the Second Republic adopted a neutral stance vis-à-vis the various denominations; since then, the churches and the state have developed a partnership relationship characterised by freedom and fair cooperation. Their relations are governed by the Law on Church-State Relations (Staatskirchenrecht).
Literature#
H. Schwendenwein, Oesterreichisches Staatskirchenrecht, 1992.