Austria's Christian Heritage: Exploring The Country's Religious Landscape

Austria is a country with a rich religious history and diversity. While it is predominantly a Christian country, with a majority of its population identifying as Roman Catholic, it also has a significant number of Muslims, Jews, and people who follow other faiths or none at all. The country has a strong tradition of religious freedom and secularism, which has shaped its cultural and legal landscape. In this paragraph, we will explore the religious landscape of Austria and discuss how it has evolved over time, the role of religion in public life, and the relationship between the state and various religious communities.

Religious freedom in Austria

Austria is committed to promoting freedom of religion and protecting religious minorities. The country has increased its activities in this regard, especially in response to the global rise in violence and discrimination on the grounds of religious belief.

Dialogue of Religions

To promote freedom of religion, the Federal Ministry for Europe, Integration, and Foreign Affairs established an interreligious dialogue platform. On 28 May 2014, the "dialogue of religions" was officially launched when representatives of all 16 legally acknowledged religious communities in Austria came together at the invitation of Foreign and Integration Minister Sebastian Kurz.

King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz International Centre for Intercultural and Interreligious Dialogue (KAICIID)

The KAICIID, set up in Vienna in 2012, provides an important dialogue platform. The Centre's founding treaty explicitly refers to the human right of freedom of religion and the need to combat all forms of discrimination and stereotyping based on religion or belief.

United Nations Alliance of Civilizations (UNAOC)

Austria actively participates in the UNAOC and hosted the 5th Global Forum in Vienna in February 2013. The resulting "Vienna Declaration" highlights the commitment to promote freedom of religion on a global level.

Bilateral and Multilateral Efforts

Austria regularly addresses the issue of freedom of religion with countries facing religious conflicts or tensions and with partner countries to discuss joint initiatives at the international level.

Human Rights Council of the United Nations (UN)

During Austria's membership from 2011 to 2014, freedom of religion and the protection of religious minorities was a priority. Austria raised awareness of the situation of religious minorities and initiated discussions on strengthening international protection mechanisms within the UN framework.

European Union

Austria's advocacy has made freedom of religion and the protection of religious minorities a priority issue for the European Union. The country also initiated the drafting of the EU Guidelines on Freedom of Religion or Belief, providing an effective instrument for coherent EU human rights action in this area.

Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) and Council of Europe (CoE)

Austria actively supports activities for the protection of religious minorities within the OSCE and CoE frameworks. Upon an Austrian initiative, a thematic debate took place at the CoE on freedom of religion and the situation of religious minorities, resulting in a commitment for the CoE to take a leading role in this area.

Priorities of Austrian Human Rights Policy

Austria's human rights policy priorities include the safety of journalists, defenders of human rights, and the fight against racism.

The decline of Catholicism

Austria has long been a strongly Catholic country, but there has been a consistent and pronounced decline of Catholicism in the country in recent decades. In 1961, 89% of the population was Catholic, but by 2021, this number had dropped to 55.2%. In 2023, 50.6% of the population were Roman Catholics.

Austria's history as a Catholic country dates back to the 13th century when it was the centre of the Habsburg monarchy (1273–1918), which championed Roman Catholicism. During the Protestant Reformation in the 16th century, many Austrians converted to Protestantism, but the Habsburgs enacted measures of Counter-Reformation as early as 1527, harshly repressing Austrian Protestantism.

However, since the fall of the Habsburg monarchy at the end of World War I and the transformation of Austria into a federal republic, there has been a decline in Catholicism. This decline is due to various factors, including secularisation, migration, and the increasing influence of other religions. The events of World War II also had a significant impact on the Catholic community in Austria, with religious leaders and laypersons being persecuted and deported to concentration camps.

Another factor contributing to the decline of Catholicism in Austria is the 'Kirchensteuer' (church contribution/tax), which takes out 1.1% of one's total annual salary. Additionally, revelations of past mistreatment of children by Catholic religious leaders have also led some Austrians, particularly the younger generation, to withdraw their membership from the Catholic Church.

Despite the decline, Catholicism remains the largest religion in Austria, with 4.64 million members (50.6% of the total population) in 2023.

Islam in Austria

Islam is the largest minority religion in Austria, with around 8% of the population identifying as Muslim in the 2021 census. The majority of Muslims in Austria are Sunni, and most have Austrian citizenship. The largest Muslim communities in Austria are Turkish and Bosniak.

Muslims have a long history in Austria, with the first evidence of Muslims in the country dating back to nomadic tribes from Asia that entered the region in 895. Following the Ottoman conquest of Hungary in the 16th century, more Muslims moved into the territory that makes up modern-day Austria. However, Muslims were expelled after the Habsburg Empire took control of the region in the late 17th century. A small number were allowed to remain after the signing of the Treaty of Passarowitz in 1718, and the Recognition Act in 1874 gave Muslim communities legal recognition.

Substantial Muslim immigration to Austria began in the 1960s when migrant workers from Turkey and Yugoslavia moved to the country. Many Muslim refugees of the Yugoslav Wars also moved to Austria during the 1990s.

In recent years, there has been a rise in anti-Muslim sentiment in Austria, particularly within the Austrian Freedom Party (FPÖ). The FPÖ has engaged in political campaigns that scapegoated Muslims and criticised Islamic culture, presenting Muslims as the primary targets of their anti-immigration strategies. This has influenced the policies of other Austrian parties, leading to new legislation on Islam that treats Muslims differently from other religious groups.

In 2015, the Austrian parliament passed a new Islamgesetz banning foreign funding of mosques and the payment of imams' salaries from abroad. In 2017, the Austrian government introduced a law banning face coverings in public, which was criticised by many as Islamophobic. In 2018, the government banned headscarves for children in kindergarten, and announced the closure of several mosques and the deportation of imams in a measure to thwart political Islam.

Judaism in Austria

The history of Jews in Austria dates back to the 3rd century CE, when they first immigrated following the Roman occupation of Judea. Over the centuries, the Jewish community in Austria has risen and fallen, experiencing periods of prosperity and equality, as well as persecution, deportations, and antisemitism.

In the 12th century, two synagogues existed in Vienna, and the Jewish settlement grew with the arrival of Jewish settlers from Bavaria and the Rhineland. In the 13th century, the Jewish community flourished when Holy Roman Emperor Frederick II declared Jews a separate ethnic and religious group, issuing a bill of rights that encouraged Jewish immigration and granted them certain protections and autonomous rights.

However, this prosperity was short-lived as tensions with the Christian population and hostility from the Catholic Church increased. Under the rule of the Catholic House of Habsburg in 1282, Austria's significance as a religious centre for Jewish scholarly endeavours declined due to a highly antisemitic atmosphere.

In the 14th century, a fixed Jewish tax was imposed, followed by persecution and massacres. In 1420, all Austrian Jews were arrested, with 270 burned at the stake and the rest expelled, their properties confiscated. In the 15th century, the condition of Jews worsened due to unfounded accusations linking them to the anti-Catholic movement of Jan Hus in Bohemia.

In the 16th and 17th centuries, Jews in Austria continued to face persecution, heavy taxes, and discriminatory laws and decrees. During the reign of Leopold I, Jews were frequently persecuted and deported from many areas, including Vienna.

A period of relative tolerance began after the religious fanaticism towards the Jewish population, reaching its peak during the reign of Franz Joseph I, who granted Jews equal rights. Between 1848 and 1938, Austrian Jews played a prominent role in Vienna's commercial, intellectual, cultural, and political life.

However, this period of prosperity ended abruptly with the annexation of Austria by Nazi Germany in 1938. The Jewish community was subjected to persecution, violence, expropriation of property, and eventually, deportation to concentration camps. More than 65,000 Austrian Jews were deported and killed during the Holocaust, drastically reducing the Jewish population in the country.

After World War II, the remaining Jewish community in Austria struggled to rebuild, facing challenges such as restitution and compensation issues. The Jewish population gradually recovered, and today, Austria has a Jewish population of around 10,300 to 15,000, with the majority living in Vienna. The community is represented by the Federation of Austrian Jewish Communities and actively contributes to Austrian culture and society.

The Austrian constitution and religion

The Austrian constitution, known as the Federal Constitution of Austria, is split up over many different acts, with the Federal Constitutional Law (Bundes-Verfassungsgesetz) (B-VG) at its centre. The constitution provides for freedom of religion, and the government generally respects this right in practice. However, religious groups that receive second-class status under the 1998 Law on the Status of Religious Confessional Communities are not afforded the same protection.

The constitution recognises the Roman Catholic Church as the predominant religion, and many Catholic holidays are also government holidays. The constitution also recognises other religious groups, including the Protestant Church, the Jewish Community, the Islamic Community, the Eastern Orthodox Church, and the Buddhist Community, among others.

The constitution guarantees equality for all Austrian nationals, regardless of religion, gender, social class, or social status. It also commits the Republic to ensuring the equal treatment of disabled and non-disabled persons.

The constitution outlines the democratic nature of the Austrian government and the rights of Austrian citizens, including freedom of speech, freedom of assembly, and freedom of religion. It also establishes the structure of the Austrian government, including the roles of the Federal President, the Federal Chancellor, the National Council, and the Federal Council, among others.

The constitution also sets out the responsibilities and powers of the federal government and the individual states, including matters related to legislation, execution, and administration. It defines the competencies of the federal and state governments in various areas, such as external affairs, immigration, finance, education, and health.

The constitution provides for the independence of the judiciary and establishes the Constitutional Court, the Administrative Court, and other courts to interpret and enforce the law. It outlines the process for amending the constitution and the roles of different bodies in this process.

The Austrian constitution has undergone numerous amendments and revisions over time to reflect changing political and social landscapes.

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