Religious affairs

The Ministry of Education and Culture administers matters relating to the churches and other religious communities in Finland and drafts legislation relating to them. 

The Ministry aims to protect the realisation of freedom of religion and promote the possibilities for people to profess and practise a religion. The state is neutral with regard to religions and churches.

  • Freedom of religion »

    Freedom of religion guarantees the right to profess and practice a religion, to express one's religious convictions and to be a member of or to decline to be a member of a religious community.

  • Religious communities »

    The religious communities of Finland are the Evangelical-Lutheran Church and the Orthodox Church, as well as the religious communities registered in accordance with the Freedom of Religion Act.

  • Burial service »

    Drafting the burial service legislation is the responsibility of the Ministry of Education and Culture. Maintaining public graveyards is the statutory tasks of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Finland.

  • Legislation »

    The ministry presents the legislative proposals concerning such matters as ecclesiastical issues, freedom of religion and burial services.

  • Financing »

    Appropriations are allocated to the Church so that it can perform its statutory tasks and as subsidies to religious communities.