Law and religion: Conference on neutrality in Regensburg on July 2025!

Law and religion: Conference on neutrality in Regensburg on July 2025!

On July 10th and 11th, 2025, Regensburg will be the venue for an important conference on the topics of neutrality, religious freedom and the separation of state and religion. The event, which is organized by the press office of the Diocese of Regensburg and several other institutions, including the Academic Forum Albertus Magnus, promises an exciting and in-depth examination of legal and social issues. Renowned lawyers, philosophers and theologians will use the platform to shed light on current challenges and developments. A particular focus here is on the question of how the neutrality of the state can be asserted in a pluralistic social structure.

The discussions at the conference deal with the historical development of tolerance and religious freedom, which has become increasingly important in German-speaking countries since the Enlightenment. Thinkers such as Erasmus, Locke and Voltaire were particularly influential, whose ideas contributed to the gradual establishment of religious freedom in Germany in the 19th century. The equal treatment of minority religions and ideological groups was finally legally reflected in the Weimar Constitution. The Basic Law of 1949 adopted this spirit, even if the issue of neutrality is not explicitly mentioned in its wording. Nevertheless, as a key term it is of central importance for the relationship between state and religion, as weltanschauungsrecht.de explains.

Program highlights of the conference

Walter Jonas, District President of the Upper Palatinate, will give a welcoming speech at the opening of the conference on July 10th. This is followed by specialist lectures from well-known speakers, including Prof. Horst Dreier and Prof. Christian Hillgruber, who deal with the topics of neutrality and religious freedom. In the evening Prof. Dr. Paul Kirchhof will give a celebratory lecture, which will be accompanied by music from the Regensburger Domspatzen. On the second day, Bavaria's Interior Minister Joachim Herrmann will address the participants.

Background to neutrality

The discussion about neutrality is not new. It is a central aspect in dealing with religious communities and their rights in public spaces. The German state does not have a state church, which enables it to maintain a partnership with religious communities without directly identifying with them. However, this partnership also presents challenges, such as the question of the permissibility of religious symbols in public spaces. These aspects of the separation between state and religion are not only of a legal nature, they also affect the social debate about values ​​and norms in a diverse country.

The separation of religion and state is enshrined in the constitution in Germany. The regulations in the Weimar Constitution and the Basic Law are still valid and ensure that the state does not favor any religious or ideological positions. The Federal Constitutional Court has made it clear in various judgments that the principle of neutrality is viewed as both an objective and a subjective right. These legal frameworks are crucial to ensure equal treatment for all citizens, regardless of their religious beliefs.

• Datum: 10. und 11. Juli 2025
• Ort: Regensburg
• Anmeldung bis: 30. Juni 2025 an info(at)bistum-regensburg.de

The conference will not only be a forum for experts, but also an opportunity for those interested to find out about the complex relationships between law and religion and to immerse themselves in today's debate. Given the current challenges in society, the topic is more relevant than ever. It is therefore to be hoped that these discussions will provide valuable impetus for legal and social developments in the future.