The Institutionalization of Religious Minorities in Spain: The Recognition of the Bahá’í Community’s Notorio Arraigo

On 18 September 2023, the Spanish State recognised the Notorio Arraigo (firmly established, or literally, notorious deep rootedness) of the Bahá’í Community of Spain through a Ministerial Order, integrating it into the group of recognised religious denominations, albeit without any signed cooperatio...

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التفاصيل البيبلوغرافية
الحاوية / القاعدة:Religions
المؤلف الرئيسي: Óscar Salguero Montaño
التنسيق: مقال
اللغة:الإنجليزية
منشور في: MDPI AG 2025-10-01
الموضوعات:
الوصول للمادة أونلاين:https://www.mdpi.com/2077-1444/16/10/1306
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author Óscar Salguero Montaño
author_facet Óscar Salguero Montaño
author_sort Óscar Salguero Montaño
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container_title Religions
description On 18 September 2023, the Spanish State recognised the Notorio Arraigo (firmly established, or literally, notorious deep rootedness) of the Bahá’í Community of Spain through a Ministerial Order, integrating it into the group of recognised religious denominations, albeit without any signed cooperation agreements. This milestone reflects the evolving legal–political frameworks of religious freedom since the arrival of the Bahá’í Faith in Spain in the mid-20th century, as well as the strategies employed to consolidate and institutionalise itself as a religious denomination, influenced by Bahá’í principles. This paper examines how these principles have inspired the Community’s secular strategies throughout different historical phases: from a restrictive Catholic confessional framework to the current non-confessional state, which guarantees religious freedom. It also analyses the actions undertaken to obtain recognition of Notorio Arraigo and considers the challenges and needs faced by the Bahá’í Community at this new level of recognition.
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spelling doaj-art-6d55eeec507a4ff9b24c9e824ecc698d2025-10-28T16:56:15ZengMDPI AGReligions2077-14442025-10-011610130610.3390/rel16101306The Institutionalization of Religious Minorities in Spain: The Recognition of the Bahá’í Community’s Notorio ArraigoÓscar Salguero Montaño0Department of Social Anthropology & Social Psychology, Complutense University of Madrid, 28040 Madrid, SpainOn 18 September 2023, the Spanish State recognised the Notorio Arraigo (firmly established, or literally, notorious deep rootedness) of the Bahá’í Community of Spain through a Ministerial Order, integrating it into the group of recognised religious denominations, albeit without any signed cooperation agreements. This milestone reflects the evolving legal–political frameworks of religious freedom since the arrival of the Bahá’í Faith in Spain in the mid-20th century, as well as the strategies employed to consolidate and institutionalise itself as a religious denomination, influenced by Bahá’í principles. This paper examines how these principles have inspired the Community’s secular strategies throughout different historical phases: from a restrictive Catholic confessional framework to the current non-confessional state, which guarantees religious freedom. It also analyses the actions undertaken to obtain recognition of Notorio Arraigo and considers the challenges and needs faced by the Bahá’í Community at this new level of recognition.https://www.mdpi.com/2077-1444/16/10/1306Bahá’í FaithNotorio Arraigoreligious diversityreligious freedominstitutionalisation
spellingShingle Óscar Salguero Montaño
The Institutionalization of Religious Minorities in Spain: The Recognition of the Bahá’í Community’s Notorio Arraigo
Bahá’í Faith
Notorio Arraigo
religious diversity
religious freedom
institutionalisation
title The Institutionalization of Religious Minorities in Spain: The Recognition of the Bahá’í Community’s Notorio Arraigo
title_full The Institutionalization of Religious Minorities in Spain: The Recognition of the Bahá’í Community’s Notorio Arraigo
title_fullStr The Institutionalization of Religious Minorities in Spain: The Recognition of the Bahá’í Community’s Notorio Arraigo
title_full_unstemmed The Institutionalization of Religious Minorities in Spain: The Recognition of the Bahá’í Community’s Notorio Arraigo
title_short The Institutionalization of Religious Minorities in Spain: The Recognition of the Bahá’í Community’s Notorio Arraigo
title_sort institutionalization of religious minorities in spain the recognition of the baha i community s notorio arraigo
topic Bahá’í Faith
Notorio Arraigo
religious diversity
religious freedom
institutionalisation
url https://www.mdpi.com/2077-1444/16/10/1306
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