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The Decline of Religion in Europe and America: A Comparative Analysis

Explore the ironic decline of religion in Europe and America, from religious persecution in 16th-century Europe to the current trends of religious observance. Discuss the impact of societal changes, politics, and laws on religious identity and ponder the future of religion in both regions.

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The Decline of Religion in Europe and America: A Comparative Analysis

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  1. Oh, the Irony? You decide! Christianity in Europe and America Taylor Richardson REL 200

  2. America VS Europe

  3. A Quick History Lesson 16 Century Europe

  4. Europe was ruled with religious persecution by state-affiliated Christian churches such as the Roman Catholic Church and the Church of England.

  5. Meet Martin Luther • German theologian and religious reformer • Catalyst of the 16th-century Protestant Reformation. • He strongly disputed the Catholic view on indulgences.

  6. Wittenburg, Germany

  7. Martin Luther nails his 95 theses on the door of Castle Church in Germany

  8. This launched the Protestant Reformation.

  9. Quick Glance Branches of Protestantism Restorationism Anglicanism Church of England Protestant Reformation (16h century) Reformed/Calvinist/ Protestant Anabaptist Lutheranism Methodist Roman Catholicism 95 Theses Baptist

  10. Europeans fled to America to escape religious oppression and forced beliefs.

  11. Plymouth, England Mayflower Voyage Cape Cod, Massachusetts 1620

  12. Pilgrims arrived in Massachusetts

  13. America’s forefathers established a country in which the separation of church and state, and the freedom to practice one’s faith without fear of persecution.

  14. Current Christianity in Europe vs America

  15. First, let’s answer this question: Why are people religious?

  16. Durkheim Society and religion are dependent. Freud Religion is a an unconscious response to repression. Frazer Religion is rational and conscious. Marx Views religion Through the bourgeois and the proletariat. Feuerbach Humans create God in their own image.

  17. Over half of the US believe in a Biblical God; whereas, less than a third of Europeans agree.

  18. Both Europe and America have seen an overall decline in religious observances and identity. European countries have experienced a significant decline in church membership and church attendance.

  19. Why do people leave their religion? “Changes occur because people suddenly develop new, unmet religious needs and turn to or produce new religious institutions able to meet these needs.” Segal, Economics of Religion, pp. 48

  20. The proportion of young adults (16-29) with no religious affiliation (‘nones’) varies throughout Europe. • THE HIGHEST • 91% in the Czech Republic • 80% in Estonia • 75% in Sweden • COMPARED TO • 1% in Israel • 17% in Poland, • 25% in Lithuania

  21. This is the growing segment of Americans you say “none” when asked what their religion is.  Source: Gallup

  22. Economics of Religion’s, Rodney Stark, believes that, “religious demands have remained relatively constant,” overtime. But, is this true?

  23. The decline of religion shown in this graph isn’t a “matter of people losing their religion in adult life; it’s about people being less religious than their parents and grandparents.”

  24. “This failure to satisfy demand explains the low levels of religious participation in much of Europe despite the high levels of belief (see Davie 1994).” Segal, Economics of Religion, pp. 52

  25. “Churchgoing decline in the United States is driven by the same cohort replacement mechanism that drives religious change elsewhere in the West.”

  26. Think about it: 1. Why do religious organizations change so that they no longer enjoy mass appeal? 2. Specifically, what went wrong with the Church of England? And why has the Swedish state church made so little effort to attract and hold an active membership??

  27. The Church of Sweden has experienced a significant decline in demand.

  28. 75% of young adults in Sweden identify with no religion. This is the third highest country in all of Europe.

  29. “People there have supposedly lost their need for religion, perhaps because the socialist state has adequately provided for the needs that religion have formerly fulfilled.” Segal, Economics of Religion, pp. 48 Specifically, talking about Sweden but can be applied to many other circumstances.

  30. Is It Ironic? What do you think?

  31. Let’s Look Seriously, ask yourself this!

  32. People can argue that this “God” can be constituted as a Godly religion, but what about Godless religions or atheism?

  33. What about the effect of our politics and laws? If most of the country has Christian values, wouldn’t think effect our country as a democracy? Topics to think about: • Abortion • Immigration • Same-sex marriage

  34. Do you think it’s ironic? Europeans fled to America for: • Religious freedom • Separation of government and religion. And now, • America is more religious than Europe. • Religion is still shown throughout several parts of the United States government. If not, what’s your take on it?

  35. Concluding Questions to Ponder: 1. There really is no easy, concrete answer to why religion is declining. There are several factors that impact religious identity and observations throughout the world; however, why do you think religion is really declining in both Europe and America? • Why is it more drastic in certain areas of Europe than America? 2. Where do you see the future trends of religion leading to? • Will religion grow or decline? If so, what areas and why?

  36. Works Cited • Bullivant, Stephen. Europe's Young Adults and Religion. Institute Catholique , 2018, pp. 5–6, Europe's Young Adults and Religion. • “Catholic vs Protestant.” Mountain Bike vs Road Bike - Difference and Comparison | Diffen, www.diffen.com/difference/Catholic_vs_Protestant. • Grant , Tobin. “The Great Decline: 60 Years of Religion in One Graph.” Religion News Service, 5 Aug. 2014, religionnews.com/2014/01/27/great-decline-religion-united-states-one-graph/. • Hillerbrand, Hans J. “Martin Luther.” Encyclopædia Britannica, Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc., 6 Nov. 2018, www.britannica.com/biography/Martin-Luther. • “Luther's 95 Theses - Reformation Display.” National Library of Scotland, www.nls.uk/exhibitions/treasures/the-reformation/95-theses. • “Religion in Europe.” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 27 Nov. 2018, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Religion_in_Europe. • “Religion Is in Decline in the West, and America Is No Exception.” USAPP, 7 Sept. 2016, blogs.lse.ac.uk/usappblog/2016/09/05/religion-is-in-decline-in-the-west-and-america-is-no-exception/. • “Religion in Sweden.” Sweden.se, Sweden.se, 8 Feb. 2018, sweden.se/society/10-fundamentals-of-religion-in-sweden/. • Stark, Rodney. “Economics of Religion.” The Blackwell Companion to the Study of Religion, by Robert Alan. Segal, Wiley-Blackwell, 2009, pp. 53–60. • Wike, Richard. “5 Ways Americans and Europeans Are Different.” Pew Research Center, Pew Research Center, 19 Apr. 2016, www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2016/04/19/5-ways-americans-and-europeans-are-different/. *picture links are in the notes

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