Religion in Europe

Theism vs. Atheism in Europe (2005 Eurobarometer poll, no data for Former Yugoslavia and the Former Soviet Union except the Baltic).

• More than 75% of those asked expressed positive "belief in God" in Malta, Turkey, Cyprus, Romania, Greece, Portugal and Poland.
• More than 25% of those asked expressed positive Atheism in France, the Czech Republic, the Netherlands, Belgium, Estonia and Germany.

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. Three countries in Southeastern Europe and one country in Eastern Europe have Muslim majorities. Smaller religions include Judaism, Buddhism, Sikhism, and Hinduism which are found in their largest groups in Britain and France.

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.

Religiosity

European countries have experienced a decline in church membership and church attendance. 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. However in the 2005 eurobarometer poll only 23% 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%
North 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".

Eurobarometer poll 2005

The Eurobarometer Poll 2005 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.

Eurobarometer Poll 2005 chart results

The following is a list of European countries ranked by religiosity, based on belief in a God, according to the Eurobarometer Poll 2005. 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

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, 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

Main article: Christianity in Europe

View of Rome from the Dome of St. Peter's Basilica.

St John's Church, Bergen, Norway.

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, Eastern Christianity (comprising Eastern Orthodox and Oriental Orthodox churches) 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, 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).

Eastern Christianity

• Eastern Orthodoxy (the churches are in full communion, i.e. they see each other as local churches, members of a single religious body)
  • Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople
  • Russian Orthodox Church
  • Serbian Orthodox Church
  • Church of Greece
  • Cypriot Orthodox Church
  • Romanian Orthodox Church
  • Albanian Orthodox Church
  • Bulgarian Orthodox Church
  • Georgian Orthodox Church
  • Turkish Orthodox Church

• Oriental Orthodoxy
  • Armenian Orthodox Church

Protestantism

• Protestantism (see list of Reformed churches, Porvoo Communion)
  • Lutheranism-Zwinglianism
    • Independent Evangelical-Lutheran Church
    • Danish National Church
    • Estonian Evangelical Lutheran Church
    • Evangelical Lutheran Church—Synod of France and Belgium
    • Evangelical Church in Germany
    • Reformed Church in Hungary
    • Church of Sweden
    • Swiss Reformed Church
  • Anglicanism
    • Church of England
    • Church of Ireland
    • Scottish Episcopal Church
    • Church in Wales
    • Lusitanian Catholic Apostolic Evangelical Church
    • Spanish Reformed Episcopal Church
  • Calvinism-Presbyterianism
    • United Reformed Church
    • Evangelical Presbyterian Church in England and Wales
    • Church of Scotland
    • Presbyterian Church in Ireland
    • Methodist Church of Great Britain
    • Protestant Church in the Netherlands (Neo-Calvinism)

Free churches

• • Anabaptism-Baptism
    • Baptist Union of Great Britain
    • Baptist Union of Sweden
    • Bruderhof Communities
    • Seventh-day Adventist Church

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

Judaism

Further information: [[:History of the Jews in Europe, Jews and Judaism in Europe, Jews by country]]

The Jubilee Synagogue in Prague, Czech Republic.

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. Other European countries with notable Jewish populations include Germany, the United Kingdom, Russia and Italy.

Islam

Baitul Futuh Mosque in UK, largest in western Europe

Further information: [[:Islam in Europe]]

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 account for about 9% of the population in France, 5.8% in the Netherlands, 5% in Denmark, just over 4% in Switzerland and Austria, and almost 3% in the United Kingdom. Muslims make up over 95% in Turkey, 38% in Albania, 40% in Bosnia and Herzegovina, 33.3% in Macedonia, about 18% in Montenegro, 12% in Bulgaria, between 10 and 15% of the population of Russia., and 90% in Kosovo. Islam has been a factor in the cultural development of the Balkans and parts of Russia.

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:

• Buddhism thinly spread throughout Europe and growing rapidly in recent years, about 3 million. In Kalmykia, Tibetan Buddhism is prevalent.
• Hinduism mainly among Indian immigrants in the United Kingdom. In 1998 there were an estimated 1.4 million Hindu adherents in Europe.
• Sikhism, nearly 1 million adherents of Sikhism in Europe. Most of the community live in United Kingdom (750,000) and Italy (70,000). Around 10,000 in Belgium and France. Netherlands and Germany have a Sikh population of 12,000. All other countries have 5,000 or fewer Sikhs.
• Jainism, small membership rolls, mainly among Indian immigrants in the United Kingdom.
• The Bahá'í Faith, upwards of 60,000, with populations of several thousand in Russia, Switzerland, Italy, France, Spain, Albania, et al.
• various Neopagan movements, taken together accounting for an estimated 40,000 adherents in the UK, besides smaller numbers in other European countries.

Official religions

A number of countries in Europe have official religions, including Liechtenstein, Malta, Monaco, the Vatican City (Catholic); Greece (Eastern Orthodox); Denmark, Iceland, Norway (Lutheran); and the United Kingdom (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

Further information: Secularism, Irreligion, and Postchristianity

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.

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.

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

• France has been traditionally laicist since the French Revolution. However, since the French state does not collect any statistics on religiosity, there are no official figures on the recent development of religious demographics.
• Much of Eastern Europe was secularized as a matter of state doctrine under Communist rule. Albania was an officially (and constitutionally binding) atheist state from 1967 to 1991. The countries where the fewest people reported a religious belief were the Czech Republic (19%, traditionally Catholic) and Estonia (16%, traditionally Lutheran).
• The traditionally Protestant countries have seen a general decrease in church attendance since the 1970s. This concerns Germany, the UK, the Netherlands and Scandinavia.

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.

See also

• Buddhism by country
• Europeanism
• Hinduism by country
• Irreligion (no faith by country)
• Islam by country
• Judaism by country

• List of religious populations
• Major world religions
• Protestantism by country
• Religion in the European Union
• Roman Catholicism by country