Research reveals increasing decline in religious affiliation across Europe
Young people are increasingly growing up without any religious association, according to a new study.
A report by Stephen Bullivant, professor of theology and the sociology of religion at St Mary's University, London, paints a stark picture of the decline in religious affiliation across the continent, with the Czech Republic being the least religious.
The report, Europe's Young Adults and Religion, was based on figures from the European social survey 2014-16.
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In the Czech Republic, 91% of 16- to 29-year-olds said they did not have any religious affiliation. The UK was not much further behind, with 70% in the same age category saying the same.
Germany was evenly split, with 47% in the same age group saying they were Christian, compared to 45% who said they had no religion.
Countries with traditionally large Catholic populations fared better, with only 17% of 16- to 29-year-olds in Poland saying they had no religion. In Ireland, that figure was 39%, some 20% below those who said they were Christian.
In the UK, the number of young Muslims was 6%, just one per cent less than those identifying as Anglicans (7%).
Professor Bullivant told The Guardian the figures showed that religion in Europe was "moribund."
"With some notable exceptions, young adults increasingly are not identifying with or practising religion," he said.
He predicted it would be more than a century before the UK has any chance of seeing a return to healthier numbers of religious affiliation.
"Christianity as a default, as a norm, is gone, and probably gone for good – or at least for the next 100 years," Bullivant said.
In addition to not going to church or another place of worship, the survey found that many youngsters are not praying either.
In the UK, 63% of 16- to 29-year-olds said they never prayed, compared to only 18% who said they prayed on a less than weekly basis, and 19% who said they prayed at least weekly.
Poland again had the largest share of young people praying, with a third saying they prayed less than weekly and half saying they prayed at least weekly.
