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This research paper deals with the status of religious communities as public corporations in the German constitution. The question of the relationship between churches and religious communities is thus raised from different perspectives. This thesis aims to determine the status of religious communities in German constitutional law on religion as well as to adjust it to the current state of constitutional reality. With regard to newly incorporated religious and worldview communities, the number of those that have been granted corporate status is growing steadily. Over the past seven years, there have been 24 new religious and worldview communities in the Federal Republic of Germany. The spectrum ranges from Free Church congregations or Jewish congregations to Orthodox churches or Hindu congregations and worldview communities such as Humanist associations. This overview shows that the time of the major Christian churches and their constitutionally prominent position are increasingly in demand. For this reason, the second chapter will clari-fy how this prominent position developed. To this purpose, the historical background and especially the significance of Art. 137 § 5 WRV will be examined. According to the German constitutional law on religions, the churches are entitled to a special status as a public corpo-ration sui iuris, which will be explained in more detail in the next step. Under German con-stitutional law, religious communities are offered the choice between the two legal organisa-tional forms of the private-law association (e. V.) or the public-law corporation. In order to obtain the status of a corporation, certain constitutional requirements must first be fulfilled. This section is addressed in Chapter III, as well as the associated question: what are the re-quirements, and how can the status of a corporation be obtained and for what reason may it be withdrawn? In the subsequent Chapter IV, the legal consequences and privileges of the corporate status are presented. Starting with the concept of self-determination, which initial-ly also requires a closer explanation, the sovereign powers of the corporation are illustrated. Some authors question the instruments of the old corporate religions under public law and criticise the guarantee of their existence. With regard to the neutrality and parity of the state and call for an end to privileged status. In view of this reproach, it is necessary to examine whether actual privileging exists in this context. The constitutional legislator is committed to the principle of neutrality and parity. For this reason, it is repeatedly asked how privileged treatment of corporate religious communities can be justified. This question will be explored in the Chapter V. The current discussion will be approached with the help of three sub-questions: How can the meaning and purpose of the corporate status be reasoned? In a next step, a comparison of the two forms of organisation under religious law will be made and the advantages of the individual instruments will be described in more detail. The public debate on this issue has been ongoing, therefore a concluding sub-chapter will examine the extent to which the legal status of the corporation under public law is outdated and provides an out-look on other possible forms that are already being discussed.