Religious Diversity in Spain: A Historical View
Features of Spanish Catholicism
During the dictatorship of General Franco (1939-1975), and until the proclamation of the Constitution in 1978, Spain was officially a Catholic state, with legislation inspired by the religion. This regime is known as National Catholicism. This close relationship between church and state was confirmed by the signing of the Concordat of 1953. The 1978 Constitution and the Organic Law of Religious Freedom in 1980 initiated a change towards a state independent of any particular religion, guaranteeing freedom of religion, thought, and worship.
Cults in Spain
Spain is not immune to the issue of cults. Their organization, activities, and legal status have frequently been the subject of research, analysis, and commentary in the media. The exact number of cults and individuals involved is unreliable, but estimates suggest around 200 cults with approximately 150,000 followers. Cults can be broadly categorized into four groups:
- Satanic cults: Believe in Satan, not necessarily as a god, but as a force controlling the world. (Approximately 50 cults, 3,000 followers)
- Eastern origin, Hare Krishna: Followers are considered manifestations of Vishnu. (Limited presence and activity)
- Gnostic cults: Reject the creative power of God and distance themselves from material things, which they consider inherently bad. They focus on the exercise of human thought as a means of salvation. (e.g., Christian Knowledge Movement, approximately 1,000 adherents)
- Christian and similar cults: Jehovah’s Witnesses, with a significant presence and activity (90,000 followers)
Except for those inherently isolated, cults often attempt to gain acceptance as religious or cultural groups. Some are considered very dangerous.
Muslims in Spain
The largest Muslim communities are in Andalusia, Catalonia, Madrid, and Valencia. The majority are Sunni Muslims. They have mosques and prayer spaces. There are around 100 Islamic associations, grouped under the Federation of Spanish Islamic Religious Entities (FEERI) and the Union of Islamic Communities of Spain (UCIDE). In June 2007, the popular Islamic leadership in Cordoba called for the recovery of historical memory and the granting of preferential Spanish nationality to the descendants of the Moriscos, who were expelled from Spain by King Felipe III between 1609 and 1616.
Jews in Spain
The government formally recognized the state of Israel in 1986 and formalized an agreement with the Federation of Israelite Communities of Spain in 1992, governing their rights to worship and religious freedom. In Seville, Judaism has been present since the 20th century. Madrid’s Jewish community has a synagogue built in 1968 and a school. Barcelona has two rites: Ashkenazi and Sephardic. Malaga is home to Beth Saadia, where courses on the Talmud and Torah are taught. (The Jewish communities of Ceuta and Melilla are the oldest in Spain, and there are smaller communities in Valencia and Alicante.)
Protestants and Orthodox in Spain
There are over 700 Protestant institutions in Spain, with approximately 350,000 faithful. Protestant churches are grouped into two major organizations:
- Free churches: The most recent (Baptist, Pentecostal, Assemblies of Brethren, etc.)
- Traditional Organization: Consisting of the Evangelical and Reformed Episcopal Church.
These two groups form the Federation of Evangelical Religious Entities (FEREDE). Orthodox Churches have had a limited presence in Spain, but due to immigration from Eastern Europe, Orthodox communities are beginning to grow.
Synagogues
Synagogues are the places of worship for Jews. In Spain, Spanish Jews are Sephardic. Synagogues are discreet and may only be identified by the Star of David or Hebrew inscriptions. All synagogues were converted into churches after the expulsion of Jews from Spain in 1492. The most important synagogues in Spain are one in Cordoba and two in Toledo (Del Tránsito and Santa María la Blanca).
Muslim Religious Art in Spain
The mosque is a place of prayer that impresses, attracts, and seduces. There are mosques in several provinces, but true works of art are found in Al-Andalus. Their filigree decoration, plasterwork, tiles, and calligraphy, in the prayer hall and minaret, are distinctive. The most important examples are:
- Cordoba: The Great Mosque, a symbol of Al-Andalus, and the palace city of Madinat al-Zahra, built during the reign of Abd-al-Rahman III.
- Seville: The Giralda Tower.
- Granada: The Alhambra Palace.
- Toledo: Mosque of Bab al-Mardum.
- Zaragoza: Aljafería Palace.
Furthermore, there is Mudéjar architecture in Arévalo, Cuéllar, and other locations.