Burkina Faso: State and Religious Authority in Turbulent Times

Title

Burkina Faso: State and Religious Authority in Turbulent Times

list of authors

Sebastian Elischer

list of editors

Haim Malka

Abstract

For most of its modern history, Burkina Faso avoided intervening in the religious sphere. According to its constitution, Burkina Faso is a secular state that protects religious freedom, and individuals can choose and change their religion freely. While its Christian minority dominated the state system and government, nonintervention by a largely Christian administration helped preserve a delicate sociopolitical balance and avoid Muslim-Christian antagonism. As a result, the state has largely avoided imposing institutional restrictions, such as registration requirements for places of worship, state licensing of preachers, or imposing state control of religious schools or curricula. This gave religious institutions and movements widespread freedoms to operate. Part of the state's relaxed attitude toward religious regulation stemmed from the fact that until fairly recently, secular actors were the most potent threat to governmental authority. In the cities, civil society organizations and trade unions often defied state authority and overthrew governments. In rural areas, chiefs and local authorities positioned themselves as alternative power centers to the central government. The prevalence of secular opposition meant that the state paid less attention to challengers from the religious sphere.

Book Title

Faith in the Balance: Regulating Religious Affairs in Africa

Place of Publication

Lanham, MD

Publisher

Rowman & Littlefield

Date

2019

page start

111

page end

136

Language

Anglais

Type

Chapitre de livre

Identifier

Q113528001

iwac-reference-0000356

Spatial Coverage

Burkina Faso