"Ministries of Religion" in Western Democracies: Model of Fragmented Religious Tourism Governance

Even though religious activities are still an important aspect of society in Western style democracies, the surprising fact remains that for most Western democracies, 'affairs of the church' are largely subsumed under the regulatory authority of other ministries. For most democracies, the needs of religious communities are tied to the ministries of interior, justice or culture. Regarding religious tourism governance, it is tied to the ministries of economics or tourism authorities. This contrasts with other countries, particularly less secular Muslim-majority countries, where specific ministries of religion exist for explicit government action and intervention. This chapter discusses a model of fragmented religious tourism governance where governmental authority for EU countries is fragmented for religious activities and largely separated for religious tourism. Finally, we include a case study of Italy to contextualize the path developmental process of 'ministries of religion'. The New Concordat regulates relations between the state and church in Italy, including access to religious sites for tourists and pilgrims. Italy largely illustrates how most EU governments manage religious activities and religious tourism.