A/HRC/34/50/Add.1 pluralistic society, the special status of the Folkekirke gives rise to new issues of fairness, equality and non-discrimination, which will more and more erode the plausibility of a system of one established Church. This latter position was regularly voiced in discussions with members of religious minorities. 19. Similar debates also take place within the Folkekirke itself. In the eyes of reform advocates, a formally enshrined autonomy, especially on theological issues, for instance, in the shape of a Church council, would enhance the credibility of the Church, whose core function, they say, should rest on teaching, preaching and practising Christianity instead of acting as a broad public service institution. According to one reading of Lutheran theology, amalgamating Christian teaching with national and cultural identity might even ruin authentic faith. Others in turn appreciate the broad outreach of the Folkekirke beyond the shrinking circle of regularly practising Christians as an opportunity that the Church should not abandon. While such different positions on establishment or disestablishment do exist within the Church, they do not seem to create much polarization or divisiveness. Those working in the Church, including members of the clergy, generally weigh the advantages and disadvantages of the conflicting positions in a rather relaxed manner. 20. In a context of increasing hostility and mistrust towards certain minority religions, some interlocutors from the Church have highlighted the potential of the Folkekirke to serve as a bridge between religious minorities and those parts of the society who generally have little understanding for religious concerns and needs, but nonetheless remain in touch with the Church. This bridge-building function may become even more important in a situation in which the presence of Islam in Denmark has caused feelings of unease and even fear among large parts of society. The Special Rapporteur saw impressive examples in which the Folkekirke promotes interreligious dialogue, supports the integration of Muslim immigrants and advocates for the respect of religious freedoms of non-Christians, fulfilling a bridge-building function that helps prevent or ease tensions between religious minorities, in particular Islam, and mainstream society, especially in community-based efforts. 21. The Folkekirke’s privileged position within the Danish constitutional system leads to practical situations that can be discriminatory. Burial sites generally belong to the Folkekirke: The Folkekirke charges additional fees for having non-members buried in their cemeteries. However, the Minister of Ecclesiastical Affairs can authorize religious communities outside the Folkekirke to establish their own cemeteries. Birth registry is still managed by the Folkekirke. As a consequence, non-believers or believers of other faiths need to deal at least indirectly with a religious institution that is not their own when they register births and provide their personal and family data to the Folkekirke, not to a neutral State-managed institution. IV. Situation of various religious and belief-related minorities 1. Jewish community of Denmark 22. Although only around 7,000 Jews live in Denmark, the Jewish community of Denmark enjoys broad appreciation as an old-established component of Danish society, which furthermore fits into a positive narrative. Jews themselves also feel much at home in Denmark. They received formal recognition as early as 1682 and have enjoyed civil rights since 1814. During the Nazi occupation, the majority of Jews living in Denmark were rescued as a result of coordinated efforts taken by many Danes. More recently, after the killing of a Jewish security guard outside the Great Synagogue in Copenhagen in February 2015, Jewish people experienced much solidarity and felt that the narrative of the Danish people protecting the Jews was reinstated in a reassuring way. The Government, too, gave the Jewish community its highest assurances that it would take their protection as a priority. 7