Being Christian in Western Europe

Alan Cooperman

Director of Religion Research

Neha Sahgal

Associate Director

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.

June 6, 2018 3

About the survey

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

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 God as described in the Bible Believe in some other higher power or

spiritual force (non-biblical)

June 6, 2018 6

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

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

June 6, 2018 7

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

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

June 6, 2018 8

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

ATTITUDES TOWARD RELIGIOUS MINORITIES

Being Christian in Western Europe

June 6, 2018 9

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

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

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

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

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

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

ATTITUDES TOWARD IMMIGRATION

Being Christian in Western Europe

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 …

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

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

NATIONALISM

Being Christian in Western Europe

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

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

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

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

NATIONALISM, ANTI-IMMIGRATION, ANTI-MINORITY VIEWS

(NIM)

Being Christian in Western Europe

June 6, 2018 23

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

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

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

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

June 6, 2018 28

www.pewresearch.org

Alan Cooperman Director of Religion Research

Neha Sahgal

Associate Director