Being Christian in Western Europe Neha Sahgal Alan Cooperman Associate Director Director of Religion Research
About the Pew Research Center • Independent, nonprofit “fact tank” that informs the public about the issues, attitudes and trends shaping the world. Conducts • • public opinion polling, • demographic research, • content analysis, • other data-driven social science research. Committed to meeting the highest methodological standards — and to exploring • the newest frontiers of research. • Generates a foundation of facts that enriches the public dialogue and supports sound decision-making. • Does not take policy positions. Primarily funded by The Pew Charitable Trusts, named after the Pew family. • 2 June 6, 2018
About the survey 3 June 6, 2018
Secularization is evident in Western Europe but most people still identify as Christian % who say they are Christian Across 15 countries, median % who 91% 81 71 22 Baptized Raised Currently Attend Christian Christian services monthly or more
Non-practicing Christians are the largest group in most countries
Christian identity in Europe remains a marker of religious beliefs Across 15 countries surveyed, median % who Believe in some other higher power or Believe in God as described in the Bible spiritual force (non-biblical) 27% 38% General population General population Church-attending Church-attending 64 32 Christians Christians Non-practicing Non-practicing 24 51 Christians Christians Religiously Religiously 1 28 unaffiliated unaffiliated June 6, 2018 6
Christians in Europe more likely than religiously unaffiliated to express negative views of immigrants Across 15 countries surveyed, median % who Say number of immigrants coming to Say immigrants from the Middle East country should be reduced uced are NOT hones est 38% 26% General population General population Church-attending Church-attending 40 26 Christians Christians Non-practicing Non-practicing 37 29 Christians Christians Religiously Religiously 28 18 unaffiliated unaffiliated June 6, 2018 7
Christians more likely than religiously unaffiliated adults to have negative views of Islam/Muslims Across 15 countries, median % who Say Islam is fundamentally Are NOT willing ng to accept Muslims in incompatible with national culture and their family values 42% 24% General population General population Church-attending Church-attending 49 29 Christians Christians Non-practicing Non-practicing 45 30 Christians Christians Religiously Religiously 32 11 unaffiliated unaffiliated June 6, 2018 8
Being Christian in Western Europe ATTITUD ITUDES S TOWARD RD RELIGIO GIOUS US MINOR ORITIE ITIES June 6, 2018 9
Region divided over whether Islam is compatible with national culture/values Islam is fundamentally There is no fundamental incompatible with country contradiction between Islam culture and values and national culture/values France 34% 52% Sweden 34 48 Switzerland 42 48 Belgium 40 47 Denmark 43 47 Germany 44 46 Netherlands 44 46 Portugal 31 46 UK 42 46 Ireland 41 45 Norway 40 45 Spain 37 44 Austria 48 42 Italy 53 33 Finland 62 29
Most people favor at least some restrictions on Muslim women’s religious clothing % who favor No religious clothing Restrictions on clothing that covers the face 78% 78% Belgium 28% 51% 80 80 Netherlands 14 65 79 79 Switzerland 23 56 76 76 Austria 24 52 76 76 Italy 30 46 73 73 Germany 24 50 72 72 France 22 50 71 71 Norway 19 53 71 71 United Kingdom 19 52 65 65 Ireland 22 43 62 62 Spain 24 38 61 61 Denmark 22 39 53 53 Finland 14 39 48 48 Sweden 16 32 44 44 Portugal 12 32
Most disagree: “In their hearts, Muslims want to impose their religious law on everyone else in [COUNTRY]” Disagree Agree Belgium 56% 41% Spain 49 40 Denmark 58 37 Italy 60 35 Norway 58 35 Netherlands 62 34 Finland 61 31 Austria 66 30 Germany 70 27 Ireland 67 27 Switzerland 73 25 UK 75 24 France 73 23 Portugal 65 23 Sweden 69 23
Vast majorities disagree: “Jews always overstate how much they have suffered” Agree Disagree 55% 36% Italy Portugal 43 33 42 30 Spain 59 28 Belgium Austria 73 22 67 22 Ireland Norway 68 21 75 21 Switzerland 66 19 Finland Germany 77 18 70 17 Denmark France 76 17 81 16 UK 77 15 Netherlands Sweden 75 11
Substantial minorities say they would NOT be willing to accept Muslims in their family Italy 43% United Kingdom 36 Austria 34 Germany 33 Switzerland 31 Ireland 30 Finland 28 France 24 Portugal 20 Spain 18 Belgium 16 Denmark 16 Sweden 14 Norway 13 Netherlands 9
Fewer people say they would NOT be willing to accept Jews in their family Italy 25% United Kingdom 23 Austria 21 Germany 19 Ireland 18 Portugal 18 Switzerland 17 France 17 Spain 13 Finland 13 Belgium 8 Denmark 6 Sweden 5 Norway 3 Netherlands 3
Being Christian in Western Europe ATTITUD ITUDES S TOWARD RD IMMIGR GRATION TION June 6, 2018 16
In most countries, public opinion leans toward keeping immigration levels steady % who say the number of immigrants coming into their country should be … Increased Remain the same Reduced Switzerland 8% 58% 31% UK 7 57 32 France 10 53 30 Austria 6 52 39 Germany 9 51 38 Finland 12 50 35 Ireland 15 47 31 Norway 21 43 30 Portugal 17 42 29 Netherlands 13 40 42 Sweden 16 40 39 Denmark 11 39 45 Italy 5 36 52 Belgium 9 36 48 Spain 13 32 39
More people see immigrants from Eastern Europe than Middle East as hardworking % who say immigrants from ___ are hardworking Immigrants from Eastern Europe Immigrants from Middle East Norway 82% Switzerland 65% Netherlands 78 France 61 United Kingdom 77 United Kingdom 61 Ireland 75 Germany 58 Belgium 74 Sweden 57 Germany 74 Ireland 53 Sweden Austria 74 51 Switzerland Italy 74 45 France 73 Spain 45 Finland Austria 70 41 Netherlands 41 Denmark 70 Norway 39 Finland 65 Belgium 38 Portugal 57 Denmark 35 Italy 55 Portugal 34 Spain 52
Being Christian in Western Europe NATIONAL IONALISM SM June 6, 2018 19
Most people see respecting the country’s institutions and laws and speaking national language as important to national identity % Across 15 countries, median % who say ___ is important to truly be a national of their country To respect country's institutions and 94% laws To be able to speak the national 87 language To have family background in the 53 country To have been born in the country 51 34 To be a Christian
Nativist views of national identity % who say being born in the country/having ancestry in the country is important to truly be a national of the country Important to have family background Important to be born in the country in the country Portugal 81% Portugal 80% Italy 68 Italy 75 Spain 66 Ireland 64 Ireland 59 Switzerland 61 Switzerland 58 Spain 59 United Kingdom 57 United Kingdom 58 Austria Austria 53 57 Finland France 51 53 Belgium 49 Finland 51 Germany France 48 49 Belgium 42 Germany 48 Norway 40 Netherlands 41 Netherlands 38 Norway 41 Denmark 35 Denmark 36 Sweden 21 Sweden 22
In many countries, people are split over whether their culture is superior to others % who agree/disagree, “Our people are not perfect but our culture is superior to others” Disagree Agree Norway 38% 58% Switzerland 48 50 Finland 46 49 Austria 49 47 Italy 49 47 Portugal 48 47 United Kingdom 52 46 Germany 51 45 Denmark 51 44 Ireland 53 42 France 61 36 Netherlands 67 31 Sweden 69 26 Belgium 75 23 Spain 75 20
Being Christian in Western Europe NATION ONALIS LISM, M, ANTI-IMM MMIGR IGRATION TION, , ANTI-MINO MINORIT ITY VIEWS WS (NIM) June 6, 2018 23
Share in each country who score higher than 5 on the 10-point index 38% Italy 29 Austria Denmark 25 25 Germany Ireland 25 25 Switzerland Finland 23 22 United Kingdom 20 Belgium France 19 Norway 19 18 Portugal 17 Spain Netherlands 16 8 Sweden
Christians more likely than religiously unaffiliated adults to score above 5 Across 15 countries surveyed, median % who score above 5 on the 10-point NIM 22% General population Church-attending 26 Christians 24 Non-practicing Christians Religiously unaffiliated 14
Christians more likely than religiously unaffiliated adults to score above 5 on the 10-point NIM Churchgoing Christians Non-practicing Christians Religiously unaffiliated Italy 49% Italy 38% Germany 18% 42 31 17 Austria Denmark Austria 41 27 16 Germany Switzerland Italy Ireland 38 Austria 26 Norway 16 Switzerland 34 Finland 25 UK 15 29 25 14 France Norway Belgium 27 24 14 UK Belgium Denmark Belgium 26 Germany 24 Finland 14 26 24 13 Denmark UK Switzerland 26 23 12 Finland France Nethrlnds. Spain 22 Spain 23 Ireland 11 21 21 11 Portugal Ireland Portugal 17 21 10 Nethrlnds. Nethrlnds. France Norway 16 Portugal 19 Spain 7 8 10 7 Sweden Sweden Sweden
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