Separatism: The CNEF offers a practical and legal guide for the Churches

 Since last year, the National Council of Evangelicals of France has been mobilizing to help the churches understand and anticipate the changes brought about by the law confirming respect for the principles of the Republic. This Monday, the CNEF publishes a legal and practical guide for churches to support them in the application of this law.  

The law confirming respect for the principles of the French Republic was adopted on August 24, 2021. This controversial law, and challenged on several occasions by religions, profoundly modifies the 1905 law, law of separation of Churches and State.

The National Council of Evangelicals of France (CNEF), which initially worked alongside other religions to develop the bill, has set itself the task of informing and supporting the churches in its implementation. work.

After a webinar and the publication ofinfographics in September 2021 as well as the organization of six “legal days” for church leaders that took place between January and April 2022, the CNEF publish this monday a legal and practical guide for all leaders of churches and associations.

Only the first two parts of the guide are currently accessible, the following parts will be published in the coming weeks. These first two parts concern the declaration of religious quality and the question of funding from abroad.

With clear and illustrated explanations, the guide explains, for example, when to make a declaration of religious quality, how to do it, what documents to provide or even the different decisions that the prefect can take and the possible remedies in the event of refusal.

The CNEF also recalls in this booklet that although the law confirming respect for the principles of the Republic has modified the legal regime of religious associations, it has not affected "the principles of freedom of religion, which includes the freedom to manifest his convictions in public or in private.

CNE President Erwan Cloarec also invites evangelicals not to focus “on the disadvantages of this new law”, but to continue “to bear witness, in word and deed, to the Good News”.

“May our evangelical Protestant religious associations continue to bring together a people of worshipers and witnesses of our God! “, he writes in conclusion of his” word of the president “.

Camille Westphal Perrier

Image credit: CNEF