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Religious belonging and religious demography

A multi-religious society

The census in Switzerland asked the population the following question: "To what Church or religious community do you belong?" This wording is quite revealing of the country’s multi-religious (...)

The census in Switzerland asked the population the following question: "To what Church or religious community do you belong?" This wording is quite revealing of the country’s multi-religious composition and of the manner in which the point of view of government authorities has adapted itself. Since the first federal census in 1850 up until 1900, a distinction was only made between the Catholic, Protestant and Jewish faiths, all other religions were grouped together in one single category, and the government assumed that each person belonged to a religion. As of 1900, it became possible to distinguish the "other religions". In 1920, Catholic Christians and Roman Catholics were registered separately for the first time and in 1960 the "no affiliation" and "no answer" categories were introduced. Pre-printed spaces for Muslims and Christian Orthodox were used for the first time in the 2000 census.

Nevertheless, we would like to underline that this method of counting reproduces a classic vision of affiliation. Indeed, on the one hand, calculating automatically assigns a certain individual to a certain group, thus standardising affiliation. On the other hand, it does not help to distinguish between different members, nor the reasons they have for belonging to or leaving a certain group. Internal pluralism therefore goes unseen, privileging the continuity of traditional and recognised religious groups who find their historical identity reinforced.

The non-Christian population of Switzerland raises up to 20%. The population "without religious belonging" can be added to this number (11,1%) as well as people not answering the question (4,3%). Therefore, 5,3% of the population living in Switzerland belongs to a religious minority (further details are given under the religious minorities heading).

Sources of Data: Censuses of the Federal Statistics Office.

D 8 October 2012    AJoëlle Sanchez AJörg Stolz

A recent evolution

By analysing the figures provided by the censuses of these last decades, it can be seen that the Reformed Evangelical and Catholic Christian communities aged greatly (for example, for the (...)

By analysing the figures provided by the censuses of these last decades, it can be seen that the Reformed Evangelical and Catholic Christian communities aged greatly (for example, for the Reformed Evangelical Church: 60 years and over: 26.2% / 40-60 years = 28%), while the Free Evangelical Churches and the other Protestant communities have more young people and families (60 years and over = max. 18.2%). As for the Roman Catholic Church, although it benefited from the youth and high birth-rate level of Southern immigrants, it also finds itself in the pattern of an ageing demographic structure (60 years and over = 20.2% / 40-60 years = 27.4%), because the generations of children are too few. It can also be noted that the “new religious movements” have a much higher growth potential. This is because, on the one hand, the majority of their followers are young (60 years and over = max. 4.6%) and on the other hand, because there are as many children joining as there are adults. It should also be underlined that many more of the followers of these movements are foreign rather than Swiss. This once again proves the importance of different migration flows as a social and cultural factor influencing religious beliefs. Lastly, with regard to people with no religious affiliation (11.1%), it should also be noted that they are predominantly male, between 30 and 50 years old, who are at the peak of their professional and social life.

Sources of Data: Censuses of the Federal Statistics Office.

D 8 October 2012    AJoëlle Sanchez AJörg Stolz

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