Like many other European countries, foreign financing of mosques is a thorn in the side of the authorities in Belgium. Bart Somers, Flemish Minister for Society, wants to end the funding from abroad. Therefore, he has drawn a so-called decree with new recognition conditions for religious communities. The Flemish Parliament is expected to approve this before the summer recess.

Positively, the decree means that recognition of local religious communities in Flanders is possible once again. This recognition was impossible since 2017 because there was too much uncertainty about the recognition criteria and their enforcement. As a result, dozens of applications from local mosques and Protestant churches were left untreated.

In Belgium, recognition is of social importance. It also gives religious communities access to government subsidies. This includes the salary of pastors and the option of calling on the local authorities in the event of budget deficits. In principle, all local faith communities of the religions officially recognised in Belgium (Roman Catholic, Protestant, Anglican, Orthodox, Jewish, Islamic or liberal-humanist) can receive recognition.

Subsidies

Current practice is varied. Almost all parishes of the Roman Catholic Church and congregations of the United Protestant Church in Belgium are officially recognised, as are the few Anglican and Orthodox churches. But by no means all mosques and evangelical churches have an official status, often because they do not want it themselves.

The new conditions will not be an incentive to change that. In addition to a ban on foreign financing, there will be a lower limit of 200 members, for example. Another new rule is that people who contribute more than 500 euros per year to the community must be registered in an official register.

In addition, there will be a four-year trial period for faith communities that want recognition. Somers wants to set up a large-scale inspection service for the recognised faith communities to monitor compliance with the conditions.

Jelle Creemers, associate professor at the Evangelical Theological Faculty in Leuven and coordinator of the Institute for the Study of Freedom of Religion and Belief (ISFORB), has serious reservations about the new decree. His major pain point is that it exudes "an atmosphere of mistrust towards faith communities." For example, the document speaks frankly negatively about unrecognised communities. In an explanatory memorandum, they are called 'chaff', which must be separated from the wheat.

Mistrust

According to Creemers, the distrust applies just as much to faith communities that are recognised. The Inspectorate for Religions is given far-reaching powers. For example, she may barge into a church, mosque, or synagogue unannounced, demand immediate access to all documents and take them with her. "Could that also be the concept sermon that the pastor is working on?" Creemers wonders. Inspectors may enter a church at any time, including on Sunday mornings, and interrogate all those present and register their names.

"During preliminary discussions, the authorities promised that they would take reasonable action," says Creemers. "In many cases, that will certainly be the case. But a decree that expresses mistrust also demands to be viewed with mistrust."

This distrust is also expressed in phrases in which recognised faith communities are held to human rights. "We may assume that," says Creemers. At the same time, the precise interpretation of this raises questions. For example, could Roman Catholic churches in the future be blamed because clergy there must be male or synagogues because of circumcision?

As far as Creemers is concerned, the entire decree is, in any case, a "symbol file." "The government wants to get a grip on mosques where radical messages are heard. But they don't sound so much in the recognised mosques, which is what this whole plan focuses on."

He also points out that Muslims who radicalise mainly get their ideas on the internet. "Nevertheless, almost 1,700 religious communities in Flanders will soon have to deal with far-reaching administrative work and with provisions that affect fundamental freedoms. I find that incomprehensible."

This article was previously published in Dutch daily Reformatorisch Dagblad on June 8th, 2021.