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Being Christian in Western Europe...Christian identity in Europe remains a marker of religious...
Transcript of Being Christian in Western Europe...Christian identity in Europe remains a marker of religious...
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Being Christian in Western Europe
Alan Cooperman
Director of Religion Research
Neha Sahgal
Associate Director
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June 6, 2018 2
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.
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About the survey
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Secularization is evident in Western Europe
but most people still identify as Christian
Across 15 countries, median % who % who say they are Christian
91%
81
71
22
Baptized Raised
Christian
Currently
Christian
Attend
services
monthly or
more
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Non-practicing Christians are the largest group in most countries
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Christian identity in Europe remains a
marker of religious beliefs Across 15 countries surveyed, median % who
Believe in God as described in the Bible Believe in some other higher power or
spiritual force (non-biblical)
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27%
64
24
1
General population
Church-attending
Christians
Non-practicing
Christians
Religiously
unaffiliated
38%
32
51
28
General population
Church-attending
Christians
Non-practicing
Christians
Religiously
unaffiliated
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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
country should be reduced Say immigrants from the Middle East
are NOT honest
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38%
40
37
28
General population
Church-attending
Christians
Non-practicing
Christians
Religiously
unaffiliated
26%
26
29
18
General population
Church-attending
Christians
Non-practicing
Christians
Religiously
unaffiliated
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Christians more likely than religiously unaffiliated adults to have
negative views of Islam/Muslims Across 15 countries, median % who
Say Islam is fundamentally
incompatible with national culture and
values
Are NOT willing to accept Muslims in
their family
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42%
49
45
32
General population
Church-attending
Christians
Non-practicing
Christians
Religiously
unaffiliated
24%
29
30
11
General population
Church-attending
Christians
Non-practicing
Christians
Religiously
unaffiliated
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ATTITUDES TOWARD RELIGIOUS MINORITIES
Being Christian in Western Europe
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34%
34
42
40
43
44
44
31
42
41
40
37
48
53
62
52%
48
48
47
47
46
46
46
46
45
45
44
42
33
29
France
Sweden
Switzerland
Belgium
Denmark
Germany
Netherlands
Portugal
UK
Ireland
Norway
Spain
Austria
Italy
Finland
Region divided over whether Islam is compatible with national culture/values
Islam is fundamentally
incompatible with country
culture and values
There is no fundamental
contradiction between Islam
and national culture/values
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Most people favor at least some restrictions on
Muslim women’s religious clothing % who favor
28%
14
23
24
30
24
22
19
19
22
24
22
14
16
12
51%
65
56
52
46
50
50
53
52
43
38
39
39
32
32
78%
80
79
76
76
73
72
71
71
65
62
61
53
48
44
Belgium
Netherlands
Switzerland
Austria
Italy
Germany
France
Norway
United Kingdom
Ireland
Spain
Denmark
Finland
Sweden
Portugal
No religious clothing Restrictions on clothing that covers the face
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56%
49
58
60
58
62
61
66
70
67
73
75
73
65
69
41%
40
37
35
35
34
31
30
27
27
25
24
23
23
23
Belgium
Spain
Denmark
Italy
Norway
Netherlands
Finland
Austria
Germany
Ireland
Switzerland
UK
France
Portugal
Sweden
Most disagree:
“In their hearts, Muslims want to impose their religious law on everyone else in
[COUNTRY]”
Disagree Agree
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55%
43
42
59
73
67
68
75
66
77
70
76
81
77
75
36%
33
30
28
22
22
21
21
19
18
17
17
16
15
11
Italy
Portugal
Spain
Belgium
Austria
Ireland
Norway
Switzerland
Finland
Germany
Denmark
France
UK
Netherlands
Sweden
Vast majorities disagree:
“Jews always overstate how much they have suffered”
Disagree Agree
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Substantial minorities say they would NOT be willing
to accept Muslims in their family
43%
36
34
33
31
30
28
24
20
18
16
16
14
13
9
Italy
United Kingdom
Austria
Germany
Switzerland
Ireland
Finland
France
Portugal
Spain
Belgium
Denmark
Sweden
Norway
Netherlands
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Fewer people say they would NOT be willing to
accept Jews in their family
25%
23
21
19
18
18
17
17
13
13
8
6
5
3
3
Italy
United Kingdom
Austria
Germany
Ireland
Portugal
Switzerland
France
Spain
Finland
Belgium
Denmark
Sweden
Norway
Netherlands
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ATTITUDES TOWARD IMMIGRATION
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In most countries, public opinion leans toward keeping
immigration levels steady % who say the number of immigrants coming into their country should be …
8%
7
10
6
9
12
15
21
17
13
16
11
5
9
13
58%
57
53
52
51
50
47
43
42
40
40
39
36
36
32
31%
32
30
39
38
35
31
30
29
42
39
45
52
48
39
Switzerland
UK
France
Austria
Germany
Finland
Ireland
Norway
Portugal
Netherlands
Sweden
Denmark
Italy
Belgium
Spain
Increased Remain the same Reduced
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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
82%
78
77
75
74
74
74
74
73
70
70
65
57
55
52
Norway
Netherlands
United Kingdom
Ireland
Belgium
Germany
Sweden
Switzerland
France
Austria
Denmark
Finland
Portugal
Italy
Spain
65%
61
61
58
57
53
51
45
45
41
41
39
38
35
34
Switzerland
France
United Kingdom
Germany
Sweden
Ireland
Austria
Italy
Spain
Finland
Netherlands
Norway
Belgium
Denmark
Portugal
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NATIONALISM
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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
94%
87
53
51
34
To respect country's institutions and
laws
To be able to speak the national
language
To have family background in the
country
To have been born in the country
To be a Christian
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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 be born in the country Important to have family background
in the country
81%
68
66
59
58
57
53
51
49
48
48
41
41
36
22
Portugal
Italy
Spain
Ireland
Switzerland
United Kingdom
Austria
Finland
Belgium
France
Germany
Netherlands
Norway
Denmark
Sweden
80%
75
64
61
59
58
57
53
51
49
42
40
38
35
21
Portugal
Italy
Ireland
Switzerland
Spain
United Kingdom
Austria
France
Finland
Germany
Belgium
Norway
Netherlands
Denmark
Sweden
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58%
50
49
47
47
47
46
45
44
42
36
31
26
23
20
38%
48
46
49
49
48
52
51
51
53
61
67
69
75
75
Norway
Switzerland
Finland
Austria
Italy
Portugal
United Kingdom
Germany
Denmark
Ireland
France
Netherlands
Sweden
Belgium
Spain
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
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NATIONALISM, ANTI-IMMIGRATION, ANTI-MINORITY VIEWS
(NIM)
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Share in each country who score higher than 5 on the 10-point index
38%
29
25
25
25
25
23
22
20
19
19
18
17
16
8
Italy
Austria
Denmark
Germany
Ireland
Switzerland
Finland
United Kingdom
Belgium
France
Norway
Portugal
Spain
Netherlands
Sweden
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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%
26
24
14
General population
Church-attending
Christians
Non-practicing Christians
Religiously unaffiliated
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Christians more likely than religiously unaffiliated adults to score
above 5 on the 10-point NIM
Churchgoing Christians Non-practicing Christians Religiously unaffiliated
49%
42
41
38
34
29
27
26
26
26
22
21
17
16
8
Italy
Austria
Germany
Ireland
Switzerland
France
UK
Belgium
Denmark
Finland
Spain
Portugal
Nethrlnds.
Norway
Sweden
38%
31
27
26
25
25
24
24
24
23
23
21
21
19
10
Italy
Denmark
Switzerland
Austria
Finland
Norway
Belgium
Germany
UK
France
Spain
Ireland
Nethrlnds.
Portugal
Sweden
18%
17
16
16
15
14
14
14
13
12
11
11
10
7
7
Germany
Austria
Italy
Norway
UK
Belgium
Denmark
Finland
Switzerland
Nethrlnds.
Ireland
Portugal
France
Spain
Sweden
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Factors associated with scoring above 5 on the 10-point NIM
+35% pts.
+15
+15
+7
+6
+4
-2
-5
-7
-7
-15
-19
Right-wing political ideology
(vs. left)
Church-attending Christian
(vs. unaffiliated)
Non-practicing Christian
(vs. unaffiliated)
Male
All friends belong to same religion as
respondent
Know a great deal/some about Islam
Young (ages 18 to 34)
Personal economic situation good
Know a Jewish person
Satisfied with country's direction
College educated
(vs. less education)
Know a Muslim
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June 6, 2018 28
www.pewresearch.org
Alan Cooperman Director of Religion Research
Neha Sahgal
Associate Director