Tijdschrift voor Religie, Recht en Beleid

Samenvatting

Since the sixteenth century, Netherlands’ local councils uphold a tradition of Christian prayer at the opening and closure of their meetings. During the last decades, a two-fold development occurred: some councils abandon this custom, while others introduce neutral alternatives. In 2007, 45% of the municipality councils appear to open their meetings with a prayer or a comparable act. This study looks at the effects of this tradition as far as prescribed in the basic rules of the municipality councils, and concludes that the public prayer is not to be regarded as a religious act of the councillors, but as part of the protocol of the council.