Religion and Secularisation in the Czech Republic

Abstract

Using an analysis of data from the European Values Study of 1991 and1999 (together with data from the International Social Survey Programme 1998 –Religion from 1999, and data from other public opinion surveys), this article tries tosuggest the scope of secularisation in the present Czech population. It documentshow the process of structural differentiation leads to the declining significance of institutionalisedreligiousness and privatisation of religion, as well as to a growing beliefamong Czech citizens that it is inappropriate for churches to try to influencepolitics or the economy. The article also raises the issues of the number of believersand the forms of their beliefs. One of the results of our analysis is the finding thatthe Czech Republic might be the most secularised country in Europe at the presenttime.