ABSTRACT
German lawmakers don't point to Christianity as a standard if someone wants to be involved in society, but to so-called state 'neutrality'. However, the ruling concept of this state neutrality is not plurality but homogenization – that is, the state does not retreat from religion, but rather enforces conformity with the underlying Christonormativity, to the detriment of non-Christians. To the analogy of the term heteronormativity, the author suggests the usage of the term Christonormativity so we can better understand the nature of religious neutrality in a European context. Christianity is so embedded in the European public discourse that it sets the norm; it defines everyday life for Christians and non-Christians alike. And as in the case of heteronormativity, Christonormativity doesn't necessarily force Christianity on the inhabitants of the country. While acknowledging the religious complexity of European history, since the last days of the Roman Empire, Christianity has constituted the primary culture of the West.
