Measuring religious indifference in international sociological quantitative surveys (EVS and ISSP)

Abstract

After having provided a reminder of the diversity of definitions religious indifference and atheism may have, this chapter aims to measure irreligion in many countries thanks to the EVS and ISSP international quantitative surveys. From 1990 to 2008, secularization evolved slowly but steadily. This process does not lead to a disappearance of religions and to complete atheism and rejection of God, but rather to a loss of interest in religion, which, for many people, is no longer important in life. This low level of interest often goes hand in hand with uncertain, floating and blurred beliefs. But for strongly unreligious people, the value system is very different from that of religious people. Nevertheless, countries differ considerably: some European countries remain very religious while others are almost completely irreligious.