Toleranssiliitoksen

Toleranssiliitoksen, also known as the Tolerance Act, refers to a series of legislative and policy measures introduced in Finland during the late 18th and early 19th centuries to address religious and social tensions. The most significant of these was the Tolerance Edict of 1789, issued by King Gustav III of Sweden, which granted limited religious freedom to non-Lutheran Protestant denominations in the Grand Duchy of Finland. Prior to this, Finland, as part of the Swedish Empire, had enforced strict Lutheran orthodoxy, penalizing dissent with fines, imprisonment, or exile.

The Tolerance Edict allowed certain non-Lutheran groups, such as the Swedish-speaking Finnish Catholics and the Old Believers from Russia, to practice their faith openly, though under strict supervision. This marked a gradual shift toward greater religious tolerance, though full equality with Lutherans was not achieved until later reforms. The edict was part of broader Enlightenment-era efforts to modernize governance and reduce religious persecution in the empire.

Following Finland’s annexation by Russia in 1809, the Russian authorities continued to refine religious policies. The 1863 Religious Freedom Act (also called the Tolerance Act) under Tsar Alexander II further expanded rights, allowing non-Orthodox denominations, including Lutherans, Catholics, and Jews, to operate more freely. This act also established a system for registering religious communities and regulating their activities, reducing state interference in religious affairs.

The Tolerance Acts were significant steps toward secularization and pluralism in Finland, laying the foundation for modern religious freedom. While early measures were limited and often conditional, they reflected broader trends in European governance toward greater tolerance and individual rights. Today, Finland’s religious landscape is characterized by a diverse mix of traditions, with the Lutheran Church remaining the largest denomination but coexisting with Orthodox Christianity, Catholicism, Islam, and other faiths.