Is Secularization a Pervasive Trend in Europe?

What is it about?

Secularization – the decrease of religiosity – is a well-proven trend in European countries, tak-en individually or together. Yet in spite of its seeming homogeneity two questions remain open and will be treated in the article. First: Is it pervasive over all European countries despite the recent split into the Communist-Eastern and the Capitalist-Western bloc and the historical divi-sion into Catholic, Orthodox and Protestant countries? The answer is: Yes, it is – apart from Eastern Orthodox countries where probably a coalition between state and national churches has triggered of a revival of church attendance. Second: Is it due to person qualities – such as membership in a church, education, family status, and occupation – or to country qualities – such as national product, social security, or social inequality? The answer is: Almost exclusive-ly to person qualities. Once their impact on religiosity is taken account of, country qualities do scarcely matter as triggers of secularization.

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