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Religious opinions, beliefs and attitudes

Diminution of faith and religion

According to the CSA survey carried out in March 2003 for La Vie and Le Monde newspapers, faith is also in decline. Question: Personally, what place does religion occupy in your daily life? (...)

According to the CSA survey carried out in March 2003 for La Vie and Le Monde newspapers, faith is also in decline.

Question: Personally, what place does religion occupy in your daily life?
General French population General French population: Result of January 1994
Important 38 42
- Very important 15 15
- Somewhat important 23 27
Not important 62 57
- Not very important 32 29
- Not important at all 30 28
Do not answer - 1
TOTAL 100 100

France is, indeed, far behind Poland where 86% of respondents claim that religion occupies a considerable place in their lives. Out of 10 European countries where the survey on the Europeans’ values was conducted, France has come out 7th with only 46% of the population affirming that religion occupies a considerable place in their lives. However, there is 41% that believes that "the spiritual dimension is important in life". 78% believes that "religion is man’s basic need and that it shall stand the test of time".
According to the CSA survey carried out in June 2005 for La Croix newspaper on "The return of the sacred", 41% of the French believe that the spiritual dimension is "important" for their personal success in life: 13% of the respondents claim that it is "very important" and 28% believe it is "somewhat important". On the other hand, 57% find it "not important": 24% think that the religious dimension is "not very important" while 33% maintain that it is "not important at all". Meanwhile, the same CSA survey reveals that 48% of the respondents claim to be less interested in religion now than they were ten years ago. The religious perception also evolves rather negatively. According to the CSA survey on "The return of the sacred" (June 2005), 45% of the respondents think that religion, in France, occupies a more considerable place than it did 10 years ago. 26% hold the opposite opinion and 27% believe that religion has remained stable for 10 years. Furthermore, 47% deem this place very considerable and 31% believe this place considerable enough. Only 18% find it not considerable enough. Finally, 38% reckon that religion is in decline and 40% think it is stable while only 14% hold that it is progressing.

D 25 September 2012    AAnne-Laure Zwilling

Attachment to institutions in decline

According to the ISSP survey of 1998, at present, 52% of the French think that the "fundamental truth can be found in different religions" while only 6% believe "truth can only be found in one (...)

According to the ISSP survey of 1998, at present, 52% of the French think that the "fundamental truth can be found in different religions" while only 6% believe "truth can only be found in one religion". The latter was held by 50% of the French in 1952 and by 15% in 1981. This means that the attachment to religion has changed considerably.

The CSA survey entitled the portrait of Catholics has confirmed this trend. 39% of Catholics think that "all religions are of equal merit", 50% believe that "there is truth in different religions, even though they are not of equal merit". Only 7% of Catholics hold that "Catholicism is the only true faith".

As observed by the CSA/La Vie/Le Monde survey of March 2003, 77% of the French (and up to 82% of the French within the age range of 18-24) reckon that "nowadays everyone has to define their own religion without the influence of Churches". The French have therefore become less attached to religious institutions.

Jean-François Barbier-Bouvet used data from the CSA surveys of 2005 to study people without religious affiliations in France. He draws a conclusion that the difference between believers and non-believers is not clearly marked. Among those without affiliations, one out of five believes in God and 34% of them believe in life after death.

Source: Jean-François BARBIER-BOUVET, "Les sans-religion en France", Le Monde des Religions 15, January-February 2006, p. 28-29.

This study can be linked to other results. According to the CSA survey entitled the portrait of Catholics of 2006, only 52% of those who claim to be Catholics believe that God exists. Half of them believe that it is "probable" that God exists while the other half is "sure" of God’s existence. 26% hold that there is nothing after death. It is observable that Catholics are dissociating themselves from their traditional affirmations.
Finally, the personal path changes as 46% of the people without religious affiliations claim to have had one before. Despite that, 47% of them believe it is important to pass religion onto their children.
On the other hand, in the same period, the portrait of Catholics reveals that only 65% of Catholics believe that it is important to give their children a religious education. This encompasses 19% of people who find it very important and 46% who think it is important. The CSA survey on transmission of religion carried out for Bayard Presse on 6 and 7 June 2005 shows that about two-third or 67% of the parents and grand parents interviewed think it is very important or relatively important to transmit religious knowledge to children. However, only a small half - 49% - believe that it is very important or relatively important to transmit personal faith to children or grand children.

D 25 September 2012    AAnne-Laure Zwilling

The contents of religious beliefs are also changing

The European Value Survey asked an explicit question on atheism in its three surveys conducted in 1981, 1990 and 1999. In 1999, 14% of the respondents claim to be "convinced atheists" while 35% (...)

The European Value Survey asked an explicit question on atheism in its three surveys conducted in 1981, 1990 and 1999. In 1999, 14% of the respondents claim to be "convinced atheists" while 35% assert that they do not believe in God and 42.5% have no religious affiliations. Separation with religion does not always mean abandonment of beliefs. Thus, 34% of the French believe, for example, in life after death.

Are you...

1981 1990 1999
Religious 51.4 48.1 44.4
Not religious 31.4 36.1 36.6
A convinced atheist 9.7 10.6 14.2
Do not know 7.5 5.2 3.4
Do not answer 0 0 1.4
Total 1200 (100%) 1002 (100%) 1615 (100%)

Do you believe in God ?

1981 1990 1999
No 29.1 35.1 35.1
Yes 61.8 57.1 56.1
Do not know 9.0 7.8 7.1
Do not answer 0 0 1.7
Total 1200 (100%) 1002 (100%) 1615 (100%)

Using the European Value Survey, Pierre Bréchon noted already in 1999 a change in the image of God. In France, nowadays, there is 31% of the population who hold that the term "God" evokes the concept of "some spirit or vital force" more than the Christian representation of a "personal God" (21%).

Source: Pierre Bréchon, "Les attitudes religieuses en France: quelles recompositions en cours?", Archives de Sciences Sociales des Religions, 109, January-March 2000.

This change of beliefs can also be noted in the portrait of Catholics which reveals the alienation from the Christian teachings. Out of 52% of Catholics who believe in the existence of God, there is indeed 79% who claim that God is some force, some energy or some spirit and only 18% who hold that he is a God with whom they can have a personal relationship. This is, however, the statement that corresponds more to a Christian affirmation. This confirms the withdrawal of Catholics from the fundamental beliefs of their faith.
In the same way, there are only 58% who believe in the resurrection of Christ and 37% who believe in the Trinity. Only one third of them know the meaning of the feast of Pentecost. Lastly, according to a TNS-Sofres survey for the Pèlerin magazine in October 2008, "Les Français et l’Apocalypse", 75% of the respondents claim not to believe in apocalypse (the end of the world), when 22% say they do. The signs of the coming of apocalypse would be, first, "global warming and climate deregulation" (55% of respondents), "international terrorism" (22%), then "hunger riots" (18%).

D 25 September 2012    AAnne-Laure Zwilling

The French and secularism

The French remain very much attached to secularism. According to the CSA/CNAL survey on the French and the law of 1905 carried out in February 2005, 79% of the French think that secularism is (...)

The French remain very much attached to secularism. According to the CSA/CNAL survey on the French and the law of 1905 carried out in February 2005, 79% of the French think that secularism is important at school and 75% say it is an essential element, that is, 23% believe it is very important and 52% say it is an important element for the French identity.
58% of them think it is in danger in France while 40% believe it not, among which 19% say it is not at all in danger.

A TNS SOFRES study carried out on the French, integration and secularism for Lire la Politique in January 2004 highlights the French’s attachment to the principle of secularism:

Question: Are you personally very attached, relatively attached, relatively less attached or not at all attached to the principle of secularism?

- Very attached 43 %
- Relaticvely attached 34 %
Sub total of those attached 77 %

This is confirmed by the results of a TNS-Sofres study of 2005, Les Français et la laïcité (the French and secularism).

Finally, the IFOP survey conducted in October 2004 on the French and secularism reveals, in particular, that the majority of the French are opposed to the idea of the European constitution making a reference to the influence of Christianity. 57% of the French are against the State and local communities financing the construction of religious edifices while 42% are for the idea.

Question: You know that the preamble of the European constitution refers to cultural, humanist and religious heritages in Europe. Would you prefer that the preamble refer precisely to the influence of Christianity on the European civilisation?

French population Catholics Without religious affiliations
TOTAL yes 45 58 20
Yes, absolutely 19 26 5
Yes, rather 26 32 15
TOTAL no 53 40 76
No, rather not 19 17 22
No, not at all 34 23 54
- Do not answer 2 2 4
TOTAL 100 100 100

However, the French do not have a very positive image about religion. As revealed by the 2004 CSA survey on the French and religion, only 40% of them think religions work for a better world while 54% hold a different opinion.

See also The struggle for laïcité in France, Anne-Laure Zwilling, on the website ORELA.

D 25 September 2012    AAnne-Laure Zwilling

Islam, immigration, politics and religion

Sylvain Brouard and Vincent Tiberj are two researchers working at the Centre for the Study of French Political Life (CEVIPOF). They have conducted a study on how the French of African and (...)

Sylvain Brouard and Vincent Tiberj are two researchers working at the Centre for the Study of French Political Life (CEVIPOF). They have conducted a study on how the French of African and Turkish origin relate to politics.
The survey tried, first of all, to establish the relationship between origins and religion. It has been proven that "the French of African and Turkish origin are politically more inclined to the left-wing than the rest of the population".
This category of the French are not integrated in a notable manner with regard to their collective religious practices. However, the relationship to religion is tighter as regards individual practices. There is only 4% of the total sample who affirm that religion is extremely important for good conduct; this number rises to 25% for the French of African and Turkish origin. While there is 81% of Muslims who consider secularism positively, there is 84% of the French holding the same opinion. There are only 5% of the respondents who would like their children to attend in a private koranic school. It is also noticeable that the majority (ranging from 53% to 59%) of the French of African and Turkish origin are against the wearing of Islamic headscarf.

Consult the extract of the study on How the French of foreign origin relate to politics (in French).

D 25 September 2012    AAnne-Laure Zwilling

Protestants and politics

The IFOP used data extracted from a number of surveys conducted between June 2003 and November 2004 to compile a report on the sociology and the political position of Protestants in France. It (...)

The IFOP used data extracted from a number of surveys conducted between June 2003 and November 2004 to compile a report on the sociology and the political position of Protestants in France.
It is particularly remarkable that the sociological and demographic differences between the Catholics and Protestants are disappearing. On the other hand, the political gap remains large as Protestant electorate votes mostly for the left-wing and the extreme left-wing compared to the Catholics.
The ideas of ecologist parties are more appealing to the Protestants. However, the extreme right-wing’s influence is equally felt in these two types of population even though the Union for the Popular Movement (UMP) is less represented among the Protestants.

An information remains significant: the diversity of political inclinations according to the different regions. Protestants from Alsace and the eastern region, who subscribe to the National Front (the extreme right-wing movement) are three times more that those living in big cities. However, the eastern region also has more protagonists of the Green Party and ecology than the rest of the country.
This can be partly explained by socio-cultural and historical facts. One must also take into consideration the sociological diversity of regional protestant communities. The significant presence of the National Front in the Eastern region is undoubtedly related to the high number of industrial workers. In the southern region, the Protestant inclination to vote for the right-wing parties may also be linked to the aged population. People living in big cities are likely to vote for the left-wing parties as they are much younger.

D 25 September 2012    AAnne-Laure Zwilling

New ISSP data on the religion of the French

For more than 30 years, the International Social Survey Programme (ISSP) has been conducting every year a quantitative survey in about 40 countries. In 2018, the questionnaire focused on (...)

For more than 30 years, the International Social Survey Programme (ISSP) has been conducting every year a quantitative survey in about 40 countries. In 2018, the questionnaire focused on religion, as was already the case in 1998 and 2008. This allows to measure changes over 20 years. In France, the survey is administered by the Pacte laboratory (Sciences po Grenoble, CNRS, UGA). The results for France have been published with analytical comments. Here are some global trends that emerge from the results.

The image of religions has not deteriorated, but it is not good. For many, religions sow conflict rather than peace, they are an obstacle to equality between men and women, and religious convictions are said to lead to intolerance. However, the image of Christians is much better than that of Muslims. The image of atheists and non-believers is also very good, and is clearly improving.

The survey highlights the complexity of the world of religious beliefs. While 14% undoubtedly believe in the existence of God and 27% are convinced of his non-existence, all the others are positioned on a gradient from probable belief to probable non-belief. Thus, 14% choose the statement "even if I have doubts, I have the impression that I believe in God" and 8% "I realize that I believe in God at certain times but not at others". Over 20 years, total unbelief and doubts increase while assured belief diminishes.

It seems that doubtful beliefs in God are quite often compatible with popular beliefs known as heterodox (lucky charms, forecasting the future, healers, signs of the zodiac). These popular beliefs are also frequent among those who are tempted by alternative spiritualities and by the mystical-esoteric nebula.

Surprisingly, the belief in an afterlife is significantly more developed among the young than among the elderly. They probably express more hope for the future - of a psycho-religious nature - than a real belief in an extra-mundane universe or in the great Christian story of salvation.

While 55% said they belonged to a religion in 1998, today only 46% recognize it. Religious practices are also on the decline. 8% attend a religious service every month, compared to 11% in 1998. While 52% said they prayed almost every week in 1998, this is now the case for only 30% of the population, with of course wide variations from one generation to the next.

The results show that religious socialization in childhood has a strong influence on the religiosity of today’s adults. From one generation to the next, there is a loss of religiosity but very little movement in the opposite direction: if one has never had a religious education, conversion is very rare.

The feeling of being irreligious increasingly dominates among the population. But many admit that religion can be useful in making friends and especially in finding comfort in times of hardship.

Of course, many other conclusions can be drawn from these data.

On this subject, a full article of de Pierre Bréchon on Les attitudes religieuses en France : quelles évolutions depuis vingt ans ? is available.

<For more information: the data file are accessible at ADISP.

D 3 August 2020    APierre Bréchon

The main paths of the evolution of religion

In France, there are regularly studies and surveys being conducted on religious factors (see sources of data). The information provided is often limited and as a result it is hard to draw a (...)

In France, there are regularly studies and surveys being conducted on religious factors (see sources of data). The information provided is often limited and as a result it is hard to draw a conclusion on the evolution of religious opinions and religious beliefs. However, the following important facts can be noted: the diminution of faith and detachment from religious institutions are not only due to the decline in the religious sentiment but also to the dilution and the individualisation of religious beliefs.
In 2021, an IFOP survey for AJIR (Association des journalistes d’informations sur les religions) focused on The relation of the French to religion (Le rapport des Français à la religion). An analysis by Jean-Philippe Schreiber can be found on the Observatoire des religions et de laïcité.

D 29 September 2021    AAnne-Laure Zwilling

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