The impact of religiousness on attitudes towards religious others

Abstract

Based on data from the Austrian Social Survey 2018, this article analyzes to what extent attitudes towards religious others are influenced by one’s relationship with religion. Five aspects of religiosity and attitudes to religion are taken into account: church-related religiosity (religious belief and practice), spirituality (engagement with alternative spiritual methods), religious fundamentalism, positive or negative perceptions of the role of religion in society, and religious denomination. The key findings are: engagement with spiritual methods and viewing religion as beneficial for society correlate with positive ratings of religious others. People with fundamentalist religious convictions are less open to religious others. Members of religious minorities in Austria (Protestants, Orthodox Christians and Muslims) have more positive attitudes to religious others than members of the dominant Catholic Church. How members of different world religions are rated depends on whether the religion in question is perceived as undogmatic and peaceful or as fundamentalist and intolerant in the public discourse.