On balance, Western Europeans tend to have more positive than negative views about religious institutions

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May 23, 2018

6. Religion and society

On balance, Western Europeans tend to have more positive than negative views about religious institutions

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On balance, Western Europeans tend to have more positive than negative views about religious institutions

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6. Religion and society
In Western Europe, religious observance is connected with civic participation and social attitudes
Roughly a quarter of adults in Belgium, Denmark, Finland, Ireland, Norway, Sweden involved with community groups
Many Western Europeans participate in sports or recreation clubs
Highly committed Christians more likely than ‘nones’ to volunteer with community groups, but more ‘nones’ engaged in sports clubs
Most say religious institutions help poor and needy, bring people together
Four-in-ten or more in Germany, Portugal, Ireland, Austria, Italy and Switzerland say governments should promote religious values
Christians’ views on church-state relations vary based on levels of religious observance
About one-in-four or fewer in most Western European countries oppose gay marriage
Highly observant Christians are less likely to favor same-sex marriage
Western Europeans more likely than U.S. adults to favor legal abortion
Religious ‘nones’ and Christians with low levels of commitment both overwhelmingly support legal abortion
Few religiously unaffiliated adults take positive views of churches and other religious institutions

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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.

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6. Religion and society

On balance, Western Europeans tend to have more positive than negative views about religious institutions

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