an official church

flogen

I'm wondering what it takes in Ireland to be legally designated as a Church; is it based on number of followers or is there a set criteria that an organisation must meet before being given the stamp of approval...

Also, what benefits are there to being a church in this country? Tax is one thing that often gets thrown around, but are there many others?

Something I'm interested in (although I don't have any plans to set one up at the moment... it's just something I wondered about after reading this article)

Overheal

I never thought there were 30 at the moment!

All I know is that in the US I believe its based on a minimum number of 'followers'...brought to my attention after enough people wrote down "Jedi" on their census forms for it to be declared a Religion

grumpytrousers

Difference between being a 'religion' and a church. To be honest the only difference between a religion and a cult is the amount of history you have behind you; thus you might only have 500 Lutherans in Ireland but it's a church, meanwhile 2000 people call themselves 'jedi' in the last census, but they're still classified as plonkers.

In response to the OPs question, i had a quick google for scientology just to see how they are described in ireland...could find v little. Those with more time on their hands might look and see if they have either

a) VAT number
b) Registered charity number.

dermot_sheehan

There is no such thing as "official" approval of a religion in Ireland. If you want a body to have charitable status, it must have a charitable object. According to section 45 of the charities act 1961 http://www.irishstatutebook.ie/ZZA17Y1961S45.html gifts for the advancement of religious are charitable but no where in the act does it define religion and I'm unaware of any case law.

Stirling

Charitable trusts - the nightmares of studying Equity are coming back to me!

I think Gabhain is right in saying that there is no specific statutory definition of what is meant by a "Church" but out of interest this area of the law is under examnation and there have been a number of papers published on it by the different Government Departments - worth taking a look especially as reform is being motivated because of those "Chugger" lads trying to sign people up for direct debits!

Nevyn

http://www.revenue.ie/pdf/charit_a.pdf

This List of 6964 bodies who have been granted charitable tax exemption @ 31st October 2006 under Section 207 Taxes Consolidation Act,1997.

14454 on that list is Aquarian Tabernacle Church - Eire which is the first church of pagan and electic wicca to be established here and it is as "official" as any other religions' churches.

Overheal

I'll throw in as a quick clerification: Most countries would never condone a State-endorsed religion. Ireland is no exception, and I hope nobody gets confused as to wether thats whats being asked here (its not)

But what you're saying basically, is there is no requirement for being a church, so long as its Charitable (and I'd assume follows a 'religion') ?