Enforced Secularization -- Spontaneous Revival

Religious Belief, Unbelief, Uncertainty and Indifference in East and West European Countries 1991-1998

Datos Bibliográficos

ID7772043
AutoresHeiner Meulemann (0000-0003-3327-5492, University of Cologne, autor de correspondencia)
Año2004
Volumen20
Número1
Páginas47-61
Fecha de publicación2004-02-01
Peer ReviewedSí
Open AccessNo
TipoARTICLE
RevistaEuropean Sociological Review (JOURNAL)
Identificadores de la revistaISSN: 0266-7215 • E-ISSN: 1468-2672
EditorialOxford University Press (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1093/esr/20.1.47
OpenAlexW1981688256
IdiomaEN
Citas recibidas27

The religious question of men's origin and destination can be answered by belief, unbelief, uncertainty and indifference. The degree of secularization should increase belief against the three remaining options, unbelief against uncertainty and indifference, and uncertainty against indifference. The paper asks if the enforced form of secularization of East European countries has the same effects even if the degree of secularization is controlled, and if these developments are reversed after the demise of communism. Furthermore, it examines if the developments of countries and their reversal remain significant if the education, the age and the religious practice of individuals are controlled. Dependent variables are the belief in God and the Bible as surveyed in the ISSP 1991 and 1998. In 1991, the degree and the form of secularization affect the answers to the religious question as expected. Up to 1998, the effects of the degree and the form of secularization persist. Furthermore, the effects of the degree and the form of secularization do not shrink if education and age of individuals are controlled, and do shrink but remain significant if additionally religious practice is controlled.

Communism · Demise · Economics · Epistemology · Political science · Positive economics · Religious belief · Secularization · American Constitutional Law and Politics · Law · Philosophy · Religion and Society Interactions · Religious Education and Schools · Religious studies