Promoting reuse of religious heritage: challenges and critical issues in implementing European strategies

This article explores the current efforts to promote the reuse of religious heritage, providing an overview of rel- evant EU frameworks and guidelines. It highlights key challenges such as ecclesiastical constraints, declining religious observance, and operational difficulties, all of which complicate the conservation of these important cultural assets. The analysis cautions against reducing heritage to a merely sustainable resource, as this ap- proach risks diminishing its cultural and spiritual values. The European project REliHE is briefly examined as a case study, suggesting that tailored, community-driven strategies and incremental policy changes rooted in the discipline of restoration may more effectively align new uses with the inherent cultural significance of religious heritage.