Religion

According to 2000 Census…

Roman Catholic 41.8%

Protestant 35.3%

Muslim 4.3%

Orthodox 1.8%

Other Christian 0.4%

Other 1%

Unspecified 4.3%

None 11.1%

In the past decade the importance of religion in the Swiss community has gradually declined; fewer people are attending church on a regular basis. A poll completed in 2000 disclosed that only 16% of people found church to be important, but it was still less of priority than family, friends, work, and leisure activities. Catholic and Protestant churches noticed a large drop in demand for baptisms and wedding services in the church over the last 30 years.

Survey Statistics-Year 2000:

·        The amount of people that regularly go to church dropped by 10%

·        38.5% of Catholics said they do not go to church

·        50.7% of Protestants do not go to church

·        Only 71% of the total surveyed believed in god

·        Recent immigration has brought Islam and Orthodox Christianity into Switzerland

Roman Catholicism:

·        Very concerned with being conservative and protecting conventional values of the country; neutrality is a major concern

·        Uri, Schwyz, Nidwalden and Obwalden are the most conservative regions in Switzerland and typically vote highly against the country interacting too closely with neighbors that could cause conflict

·        10 of the Catholic cantons are able to participate in appointing new Bishops; this process is unique to this country. The agreement was made between the cantons and the Pope in 1828

·         Immigration in the middle of the 20^th century caused the Catholic religion to outnumber the protestant religion, which was not the case for several years

Protestantism:

·        Ulrich Zwingli and Jean Calvin were both from Switzerland and in part responsible for the protestant reformation in 16^th century Europe

·        The wealthy cantons and other regions that were working towards industrialization adopted Protestantism first

·        Geneva was a sanctuary for Jean Calvin among other protestants that were escaping from cruelty in catholic countries

·        Protestant values: hard work, wealth is a reward from god, being rational

·        Protestants helped create the constitution in 1848 for Switzerland to be a federal state-helped lead the country to industrialization

Islam:

·        3^rd largest group in the country (the 2000 census found 300,000 Muslims throughout the country)

The constitution of Switzerland states that the church and state should be separate identities. Despite the rules of the constitution, many cantons collect taxes from their churches and the priests/preachers are paid as civil servants by the state. The churches that have stayed true to the constitution and separated from their cantons are now trying to overcome economic downturns.