Le Pérou : de l’État catholique à l’État laïque ou pluriconfessionnel ?

Abstract

In our opinion, Peru has shifted from a doctrinal confessionalism (where the State “believes” and “confesses” a certain religious beliefs as the only genuine), towards a historical-sociological mitigated form of confessionalism which is typical of historic transition to secularism in the State as such does not create or confess, or consider itself competent to declare a particular religion true and others false, but favors a church to the expense of the other due to historical reasons (contribution to national identity) and/or sociological (social majority).In Peru, the history of relations between State and Church has been largely the history of relations with the Catholic Church, which in turn are reflected by the regional board of trustees (1492-1821), the de facto Republican patronage (1821-1875), the de jure Republican patronage (1875-1979) and the current concordatary stage (1979-present).The central thesis of this contribution is that since 1980, an international agreement is concluded between the Holy See and the Peruvian State, an incipient tension exists between moving toward a interreligious multi-confessionalism in the Catholic Church or move toward full political and secular forms of government and State.