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Troubled multicultural system

Supports of the state

by Marie-Claire Cécilia 

IN 1848 the separation of Church and state in the Netherlands was enshrined in the new constitution, which recognised the principles of freedom of worship, freedom of education, and equality between denominations. This was an important advance, particularly for Dutch Catholics, who had in effect been second-class citizens since the establishment of the Republic of the United Provinces in the 16th century after the Calvinist revolt against King Philip II of Spain.

The Calvinist minority seized power but Catholics were tolerated as long as they were discreet. They were not allowed to perform their rites too openly, organise processions, have ostentatious churches or ring bells. For a long time they were suspected of conspiring with the Spanish (the war had lasted from 1568 to 1648). But tolerance and in many cases permission to ring bells varied between towns and depended on the goodwill of the local Calvinist dignitaries.

Protestants who were not Calvinist - Lutherans and Anabaptists - also had to keep a low profile. Catholics, Jews and non-Calvinist (...)

Full article: 510 words.

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Marie-Claire Cécilia

Marie-Claire Cécilia teaches at the University of Charles de Gaulle - Lille III, Dutch Faculty.
Translated by Barbara Wilson

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