Religion in Europe

Religion in Europe has been a major influence on art, culture, philosophy and law. The largest religion in Europe for at least a millennium and a half has been Christianity. Two countries in Southeastern Europe have Muslim majorities, while two more Muslim countries located mostly in Asia have small parts in Europe. Smaller religions include Judaism, Buddhism, Sikhism, and Hinduism which are found in their largest groups in Britain and France.

Over the last several decades, religious practice has been on the decline in a process of secularization.

Contents

History

Little is known about the prehistoric religion of Neolithic Europe. Bronze and Iron Age religion in Europe as elsewhere was predominantly polytheistic (Ancient Greek religion, Ancient Roman religion, Finnish paganism, Celtic polytheism, Germanic paganism, etc.). The Roman Empire officially adopted Christianity in AD 380. During the Early Middle Ages, most of Europe underwent Christianization, a process essentially complete with the Christianization of Scandinavia in the High Middle Ages. The emergence of the notion of "Europe" or "Western World" is intimately connected with the idea of "Christendom", especially since Christianity in the Middle East was marginalized by the rise of Islam from the 8th century, a constellation that led to the Crusades, which although unsuccessful militarily were an important step in the emergence of a religious identity of Europe. At all times, traditions of folk religion existed largely independent from official denomination or dogmatic theology.

The Great Schism of the 11th and Reformation of the 16th century were to tear apart "Christendom" into hostile factions, and following the Age of Enlightenment of the 18th century, atheism and agnosticism became widespread in Western Europe. 19th century Orientalism contributed to a certain popularity of Buddhism, and the 20th century brought increasing syncretism, New Age and various new religious movements divorcing spirituality from inherited traditions for many Europeans. The latest history brought increased secularisation, and religious pluralism.[1]

Religiosity

European countries have experienced a decline in church membership and church attendance.[2] A relevant example is that of Sweden where the church of Sweden, previously the state-church until 2000, claimed to have 82.9% of the Swedish population as its flock in 2000. Surveys showed this had dropped to 72.9% by 2008.[3] However in the 2005 eurobarometer poll only 23%[4] of the Swedish population said they believed in a personal God.

Gallup poll 2007–2008

Lack of Importance of Religion in Europe by Gallup poll (2007–2008)
Country Percentage
 Estonia
  
84%
 Sweden
  
83%
 Denmark
  
80%
 Norway
  
78%
 Azerbaijan
  
74%
 Czech Republic
  
74%
 France
  
73%
 United Kingdom
  
71%
 Finland
  
69%
 Netherlands
  
66%
 Belarus
  
65%
 Russia
  
63%
 Albania
  
63%
 Bulgaria
  
62%
 Latvia
  
62%
 Belgium
  
61%
 Hungary
  
59%
 Slovenia
  
59%
 Spain
  
59%
 Germany
  
57%
 Switzerland
  
56%
 Ukraine
  
54%
 Lithuania
  
52%
 Slovakia
  
51%
 Montenegro
  
48%
 Serbia
  
45%
 Kazakhstan
  
43%
 Austria
  
42%
 Ireland
  
42%
 Moldova
  
31%
 Croatia
  
30%
 Greece
  
30%
 Armenia
  
29%
 Bosnia and Herzegovina
  
29%
 Portugal
  
27%
 Italy
  
26%
 Cyprus
  
24%
 Poland
  
23%
 Georgia
  
22%
 Macedonia
  
20%
 Romania
  
18%
 Turkey
  
9%

During 2007–2008 a Gallup poll asked in several countries the question "Does religion occupy an important place in your life?" The table on right shows percentage of people who answered "No".[5]

Eurobarometer poll 2005

The Eurobarometer Poll 2005[6] found that, on average, 52% of the citizens of EU member states state that they "believe in God", 27% believe there is some sort of spirit or life force while 18% do not believe there is any sort of spirit, God or life force. 3% declined to answer. According to a recent study (Dogan, Mattei, Religious Beliefs in Europe: Factors of Accelerated Decline), 47% of Frenchmen declared themselves as agnostic in 2003.This situation is often called "Post-Christian Europe". A decrease in religiousness and church attendance in western Europe (especially Denmark, Belgium, France, Germany, the Netherlands and Sweden) has been noted, but there is an increase in Eastern Europe, especially in Greece and Romania (2% in 1 year) . The Eurobarometer poll must be taken with caution, however, as there are discrepancies between it and national census results. For example in the United Kingdom, the 2001 census revealed over 70% of the population regarded themselves as "Christian" with only 15% professing to have "no religion", though the wording of the question has been criticized as "leading" by the British Humanist Association.[7]

The following is a list of European countries ranked by religiosity, based on belief in a God, according to the Eurobarometer Poll 2005.[6] The 2005 Eurobarometer Poll asked whether the person believed "there is a God", believed "there is some sort of spirit of life force", "didn't believe there is any sort of spirit, God or life force".

Eurobarometer Poll 2005[6]
Country "I believe
there is a God"
"I believe there is some
sort of spirit or life force"
"I don’t believe there is any sort
of spirit, God or life force"
Malta 95% 3% 1%
Cyprus 90% 7% 2%
Greece 81% 16% 3%
Portugal 81% 12% 6%
Poland 80% 15% 1%
Italy 74% 16% 6%
Ireland 73% 22% 4%
Slovakia 61% 26% 11%
Spain 59% 21% 18%
Austria 54% 34% 8%
Lithuania 49% 36% 12%
Germany 47% 25% 25%
Luxembourg 44% 28% 22%
Hungary 44% 31% 19%
Belgium 43% 29% 27%
Finland 41% 41% 16%
United Kingdom 38% 40% 20%
Latvia 37% 49% 10%
Slovenia 37% 46% 16%
France 34% 27% 33%
Netherlands 34% 37% 27%
Denmark 31% 49% 19%
Sweden 23% 53% 23%
Czech Republic 19% 50% 30%
Estonia 16% 54% 26%
EU25 52% 27% 18%
Romania (not in EU25) 90% 8% 1%
Bulgaria (not in EU25) 40% 40% 13%
Croatia (not in EU) 67% 25% 7%
Switzerland (not in EU) 48% 39% 9%
Iceland (not in EU) 38% 48% 11%
Norway (not in EU) 32% 47% 17%
Turkey (not in EU) 95% 2% 1%

The decrease in theism is illustrated in the 1981 and 1999 according to the World Values Survey,[8] both for traditionally strongly theist countries (Spain: 86.8%:81.1%; Ireland 94.8%:93.7%) and for traditionally secular countries (Sweden: 51.9%:46.6%, France 61.8%:56.1%, Netherlands 65.3%:58.0%). Some countries nevertheless show increase of theism over the period, Italy 84.1%:87.8%, Denmark 57.8%:62.1%. For a comprehensive study on Europe, see Mattei Dogan's "Religious Beliefs in Europe: Factors of Accelerated Decline" in Research in the Social Scientific Study of Religion. Turkey and Malta are the most religious countries and Estonia and Czech Republic are the least religious countries in Europe.

Maps

Belief that "there is a God" per country  
Belief that "there is some sort of spirit or life force" per country  
No belief in "any sort of spirit, God or life force" per country  

Notable religions

Christianity

The vast majority of theist Europeans describe themselves as Christians, divided into a large number of denominations. Christian denominations are usually classed in three categories: Catholicism, Orthodoxy and Protestantism (a diverse group including Lutheranism-Zwinglianism, Calvinism-Presbyterianism and Anglicanism as well as numerous minor denominations, including Baptism, Methodism, Evangelicalism, Pentecostalism, etc.).

Catholicism

Roman Catholicism is the largest denomination with adherents mostly existing in Latin Europe (which includes France, Italy, Spain, Southern [Wallon] Belgium, and Portugal), Ireland, Lithuania, Poland, Hungary, Slovakia, Slovenia, Croatia, Western Ukraine, and the Czech Republic, but also the southern parts of Germanic Europe (which includes Austria, Luxembourg, Northern [Flemish] Belgium, Southern and Western Germany, and Liechtenstein).

Orthodoxy

Protestantism

Free churches

There are numerous minor Protestant movements, including various Evangelical congregations.

Islam

Islam came to parts of European islands and coasts on the Mediterranean during the 7th century Muslim conquests. In the Iberian Peninsula various Muslim states existed before the Reconquista. During the Ottoman expansion Islam was spread into the Balkans and southeastern Europe. Muslim have also been historically present in Russia. In recent years, Muslims have migrated to Europe as residents and temporary workers.

Muslims make up over 95% of the population in Turkey,[9] 90% in Kosovo, 40% in Bosnia and Herzegovina,[10] 70% in Albania,[11][12] 33% in Macedonia,[13] 18% in Montenegro,[14] between 10 and 15% in Russia,[15] 12% in Bulgaria,[16] 9% in France,[17][18][19] 6% in the Netherlands, 5% in Denmark, just over 4% in Switzerland and Austria, between 3 and 4% in Greece and almost 3% in the United Kingdom.[20]

Judaism

The Jews were dispersed within the Roman Empire from the 2nd century. At one time Judaism was practiced widely throughout the European continent; throughout the Middle Ages, Jews were frequently accused of ritual murder and faced pogroms and legal discrimination. The Holocaust perpetrated by Nazi Germany decimated Jewish population, and today, France is the home of largest Jewish community in Europe with 1% of the total population.[21] Other European countries with notable Jewish populations include Germany, the United Kingdom, Russia and Italy.

Other religions

Numerous minor religious communities are found in Europe, partly non-European religions practiced in diaspora communities, partly new religious movements; among the larger communities are:

Official religions

A number of countries in Europe have official religions, including Liechtenstein, Monaco, the Vatican City (Catholic); Greece (Eastern Orthodox); Denmark, Iceland, Norway (Lutheran); and the United Kingdom(England alone) (Anglican). In Switzerland, some cantons are officially Catholic, others Reformed Protestant. Some Swiss villages even have their religion as well as the village name written on the signs at their entrances.

Georgia has no established church, but the Georgian Orthodox Church enjoys de facto privileged status. Much the same applies in Germany with the Evangelical Church and the Roman Catholic Church, the Old Catholic Church, and the Jewish community. In Finland, both the Finnish Orthodox Church and the Lutheran Church are official. England, a part of the United Kingdom, has Anglicanism as its official religion. Scotland, another part of the UK, has Presbyterianism as its national church, but it is no longer "official". In Sweden, the national church used to be Lutheranism, but it is no longer "official" since 2000. Azerbaijan, France, Ireland, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Spain and Turkey are officially "secular".

No religion

During the late 20th century, there has been a trend of increasing atheism or agnosticism, expressed in falling church attendance and membership, in various European countries.[26]

The 2005 Eurobarometer poll discussed above found that on total average, of the EU25 population, 52% "believe in a God", 27% believe in "some sort of spirit or life force" and 18% had neither of these forms of belief. Across the EU, belief was higher among women, increased with age, those with strict upbringing, those with the lowest levels of formal education and those leaning towards right-wing politics.[27]:10-11

The trend towards secularism during the 20th century has a number of reasons, depending on the individual country:

The trend towards secularism has been less pronounced in traditionally Catholic countries. Greece as the only traditionally Eastern Orthodox country in Europe which has not been part of the communist Eastern Bloc also retains a very high religiosity, with in excess of 95% of Greeks adhering to the Greek Orthodox Church. The trend is also visible in the decrease of the importance of marriage: In 2008, the highest ever number of births outside of marriage were recorded in the European Union, just short of 37%, up 13% compared to the year 1995 with first-births out of wedlock and cohabitation figures being even higher. Several countries recorded a majority of births outside of marriage - these include Iceland, Estonia (59.1%), Slovenia (54.1%), Sweden (54.6%), France (51.3%), and Bulgaria (51.1%). These countries tend to be less religious ones (less than half of the population believing in God) whereas half of the European population believes in God.[30]

See also

References

  1. ^ Henkel, Reinhard and Hans Knippenberg (2005). Knippenberg. ed. The Changing Religious Landscape of Europe. Amsterdam: Het Spinhuis. pp. 7–9. ISBN 9-0558-9248-3. 
  2. ^ Church attendance faces decline almost everywhere retrieved 3 Juli 2011
  3. ^ (Swedish) Svenska Kyrkan Statistiek pagina Medlemmar 1972-2008 excel file
  4. ^ Eurobarometer Poll 2005
  5. ^ Gallup Poll
  6. ^ a b c http://ec.europa.eu/public_opinion/archives/ebs/ebs_225_report_en.pdf
  7. ^ Census 2011
  8. ^ World Values Survey, Religion and morale: Believe in God. Accessed 2007-07-25
  9. ^ KONDA Research and Consultancy (2007-09-08). "Religion, Secularism and the Veil in daily life" (PDF). Milliyet. http://www.konda.com.tr/html/dosyalar/ghdl&t_en.pdf. 
  10. ^ CIA - The World Factbook - Bosnia and Herzegovina - People
  11. ^ CIA - The World Factbook - Albania - People
  12. ^ Miller, Tracy, ed. (October 2009) (PDF), Mapping the Global Muslim Population: A Report on the Size and Distribution of the World’s Muslim Population, Pew Research Center, http://pewforum.org/newassets/images/reports/Muslimpopulation/Muslimpopulation.pdf, retrieved 2009-10-08 
  13. ^ CIA - The World Factbook - Macedonia
  14. ^ Muslims in Europe: Country guide - Serbia and Montenegro
  15. ^ CIA - The World Factbook - Russia
  16. ^ CIA - The World Factbook - Bulgaria
  17. ^ Minister of the Interior (France),[1], 28th June 2010
  18. ^ Minister of the Interior (France), Article du Figaro, 28th June 2010
  19. ^ Minister of the Interior (France), Article de Libération
  20. ^ Muslims in Europe: Country guide, BBC News, 23 December 2005, accessed 3 May 2007
  21. ^ CIA The World Factbook -- France
  22. ^ "Vipassana Foundation - Buddhists around the world". http://thedhamma.com/buddhists_in_the_world.htm. 
  23. ^ "BuddhaNet - Buddhism in the West". http://www.buddhanet.net/e-learning/buddhistworld/to-west.htm. 
  24. ^ "Hinduism". http://www.adherents.com/Na/Na_306.html. 
  25. ^ Pagans and the Scottish Census of 2001. Retrieved 18 October 2007.
  26. ^ Zuckerman, Phil (2005). "Atheism: Contemporary Rates and Patterns". Cambridge University Press. http://www.pitzer.edu/academics/faculty/zuckerman/Ath-Chap-under-7000.pdf. Retrieved 2007-07-21. 
  27. ^ a b "Eurobarometer 225: Social values, Science & Technology" (PDF). Eurostat. 2005. http://ec.europa.eu/public_opinion/archives/ebs/ebs_225_report_en.pdf. Retrieved 2007-07-21. 
  28. ^ Gallagher, Amelia (1997). "The Albanian atheist state, 1967–1991". http://digitool.library.mcgill.ca/R/?func=dbin-jump-full&object_id=28051&local_base=GEN01-MCG02. 
  29. ^ Zuckerman (2005), p. 24.
  30. ^ Evolution on the family in Europe page 42 out of 82