Being Christian in Western Europe
Most Western Europeans continue to identify as Christians, though few regularly attend church
Embed
Post Infographics
- Being Christian in Western Europe
- In most Western European countries, non-practicing Christians are largest group
- Majorities across Western Europe identify as Christian
- Christian identity in Europe remains a religious, social and cultural marker
- Most non-practicing Christians in Europe believe in God, but not necessarily as described in the Bible
- Most religiously unaffiliated Europeans say science makes religion unnecessary
- Christians more likely than religiously unaffiliated to say government should support religious values and beliefs
- Majorities of non-practicing Christians say churches and other religious organizations play an important role in helping poor and needy
- Christians more likely than ‘nones’ to say Islam is incompatible with national values % who say, “Islam is fundamentally incompatible with our country’s culture and values”
- Non-practicing Christians more likely than unaffiliated to favor reducing immigration levels
- Both church-attending and non-practicing Christians more likely than unaffiliated to link national identity with ancestry
- In Western Europe, both church-attending and non-practicing Christians are more likely than unaffiliated to say their culture is superior
- Unaffiliated adults and non-practicing Christians generally favor legal abortion, same-sex marriage
- Catholics more likely than Protestants to express negative views of Muslims
- In Western Europe, net losses for Christians are largely matched by gains for religiously unaffiliated
- In several Western European countries, recent declines in Christian identity
- Share of ‘nones’ in Western Europe ranges from 15% in Ireland, Italy and Portugal to 48% in the Netherlands
- Substantial shares across the region say they are atheist, agnostic or have no particular religion
- Many unaffiliated adults in Western Europe were raised Christian
- Most Western Europeans who stopped identifying with a religion ‘gradually drifted away,’ among other reasons
- Religiously unaffiliated adults who were raised as Christians are more accepting of Muslims as neighbors
- Roughly three-in-ten unaffiliated people report believing in some higher power
- A majority of unaffiliated believers agree they have a soul as well as a physical body
- Most unaffiliated adults say science makes religion unnecessary in their life
- Compared with U.S. adults, relatively few Western European Christians and religiously unaffiliated people are religiously observant
- In contrast with U.S., Western Europeans tend to describe themselves as neither spiritual nor religious
- Most Western Europeans continue to identify as Christians, though few regularly attend church
1615 L St. NW, Suite 800
Washington, DC 20036
USA
(+1) 202-419-4300 | Main
(+1) 202-857-8562 | Fax
(+1) 202-419-4372 | Media Inquiries
Research Topics
ABOUT PEW RESEARCH CENTER Pew Research Center is a nonpartisan fact tank that informs the public about the issues, attitudes and trends shaping the world. It conducts public opinion polling, demographic research, media content analysis and other empirical social science research. Pew Research Center does not take policy positions. It is a subsidiary of The Pew Charitable Trusts.
Copyright 2024 Pew Research Center