Changes

{{cquote|What of European [[Christianity]]? The conventional wisdom holds it to be in free fall, especially in Western [[Europe]]. (Bruce 2002) This is undoubtedly correct for Catholic Europe, while Protestant Europe already has low levels of religious practice. Yet closer scrutiny reveals an increasingly lively and demographically growing Christian remnant. Several studies have examined the connection between religiosity - whether defined as attendance, belief or affiliation - and fertility in Europe. Most find a statistically significant effect even when controlling for age, education, income, marital status and other factors...  

{{cquote|What of European [[Christianity]]? The conventional wisdom holds it to be in free fall, especially in Western [[Europe]]. (Bruce 2002) This is undoubtedly correct for Catholic Europe, while Protestant Europe already has low levels of religious practice. Yet closer scrutiny reveals an increasingly lively and demographically growing Christian remnant. Several studies have examined the connection between religiosity - whether defined as attendance, belief or affiliation - and fertility in Europe. Most find a statistically significant effect even when controlling for age, education, income, marital status and other factors...  

Moving to the wider spectrum of European Christianity, we find that fertility is indeed much higher among European women who are religious...

Moving to the wider spectrum of European [[Christianity]], we find that fertility is indeed much higher among European women who are religious...

Today, most of those who remain religious in Europe wear their beliefs lightly, but conservative Christianity is hardly a spent force. Data on conservative Christians is difficult to come by since many new churches keep few official records. Reports from the World Christian Database, which meticulously tracks reports from church bodies, indicates that 4.1 percent of Europeans (including Russians) were evangelical Christians in 2005. This figure rises to 4.9 percent in northern, western and southern Europe. Most religious conservatives are charismatics, working within mainstream denominations like Catholicism or Lutheranism to ‘renew’ the faith along more conservative lines. There is also an important minority of Pentecostals, who account for .5% of Europe’s population. Together, charismatics and Pentecostals account for close to 5 % of Europe’s population. The proportion of conservative Christians has been rising, however: some estimate that the trajectory of conservative Christian growth has outpaced that of Islam in Europe. (Jenkins 2007: 75).

Today, most of those who remain religious in Europe wear their beliefs lightly, but conservative Christianity is hardly a spent force. Data on conservative Christians is difficult to come by since many new churches keep few official records. Reports from the World Christian Database, which meticulously tracks reports from church bodies, indicates that 4.1 percent of Europeans (including Russians) were evangelical Christians in 2005. This figure rises to 4.9 percent in northern, western and southern Europe. Most religious conservatives are charismatics, working within mainstream denominations like Catholicism or Lutheranism to ‘renew’ the faith along more conservative lines. There is also an important minority of [[Pentecostal]]s, who account for .5% of Europe’s population. Together, charismatics and Pentecostals account for close to 5 % of Europe’s population. The proportion of conservative Christians has been rising, however: some estimate that the trajectory of conservative Christian growth has outpaced that of Islam in Europe. (Jenkins 2007: 75).

In many European countries, the proportion of conservative Christians is close to

In many European countries, the proportion of conservative Christians is close to

A Eurobarometer poll in 2010 reported that 37% of UK citizens "believed there is a God", 33% believe there is "some sort of spirit or life force" and 25% answered "I don't believe there is any sort of spirit, God or life force".<ref>[http://ec.europa.eu/public_opinion/archives/ebs/ebs_341_en.pdf Special Eurobarometer, biotechnology, p. 204"]. Fieldwork: Jan-Feb 2010.</ref>  

A Eurobarometer poll in 2010 reported that 37% of UK citizens "believed there is a God", 33% believe there is "some sort of spirit or life force" and 25% answered "I don't believe there is any sort of spirit, God or life force".<ref>[http://ec.europa.eu/public_opinion/archives/ebs/ebs_341_en.pdf Special Eurobarometer, biotechnology, p. 204"]. Fieldwork: Jan-Feb 2010.</ref>  

On December 2018, ''The Times'' indicated: "The number of atheists in Britain has fallen in the past year, according to a survey suggesting that more people are attending church, albeit irregularly."<ref>[https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/atheism-is-down-as-uk-gets-spiritual-z00nxczn7 Atheism is down as UK gets spiritual], ''The Times'', December 2018</ref>

In December 2018, ''The Times'' indicated: "The number of atheists in Britain has fallen in the past year, according to a survey suggesting that more people are attending church, albeit irregularly."<ref>[https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/atheism-is-down-as-uk-gets-spiritual-z00nxczn7 Atheism is down as UK gets spiritual], ''The Times'', December 2018</ref>

''The Guardian'' published an article in 2017 entitled ''Nearly 50% are of [[Nones|no religion]] – but has [[UK]] hit ‘peak secular’?'' which declared:

''The Guardian'' published an article in 2017 entitled ''Nearly 50% are of [[Nones|no religion]] – but has [[UK]] hit ‘peak secular’?'' which declared:

''See also:'' [[British atheism]] and [[UK and secularism]]

''See also:'' [[British atheism]] and [[UK and secularism]]

In December of 2017, the ''Church Times'' reported:

In December 2017, the ''Church Times'' reported:

{{Cquote|In 2016, the Centre for Theology and Community (CTC) published new research on Evangelical church-planting in east London, Love, Sweat and Tears (News, 8 April 2016, Features, 21 April). This confirmed the widely recognised image of Evangelicals as people who like to plant churches, but it also revealed that the way they work is not at all how people often imagine.

{{Cquote|In 2016, the Centre for Theology and Community (CTC) published new research on Evangelical church-planting in east London, Love, Sweat and Tears (News, 8 April 2016, Features, 21 April). This confirmed the widely recognised image of Evangelicals as people who like to plant churches, but it also revealed that the way they work is not at all how people often imagine.

== Growth of Swiss evangelical Protestantism ==

== Growth of Swiss evangelical Protestantism ==

Evangelical Christianity has seen large growth in [[Switzerland]] to the point that evangelical churchgoers outnumber mainline churchgoers 2-1.<ref>Kumar, Anugrah (December 5, 2011). [http://www.christianpost.com/news/evangelical-churches-growing-fast-in-switzerland-63962/ Evangelical Churches Growing Fast in Switzerland]. ''The Christian Post''. Retrieved January 17, 2017.</ref>

Evangelical Christianity has seen large growth in [[Switzerland]] to the point that evangelical churchgoers outnumber mainline churchgoers 2–1.<ref>Kumar, Anugrah (December 5, 2011). [http://www.christianpost.com/news/evangelical-churches-growing-fast-in-switzerland-63962/ Evangelical Churches Growing Fast in Switzerland]. ''The Christian Post''. Retrieved January 17, 2017.</ref>

== Eastern and Central Europe and desecularization ==

== Eastern and Central Europe and desecularization ==

{{cquote|Bestiality is having a weird renaissance in [[Europe]]. Perhaps ironically, it kicked off when activists succeeded in banning the practice in places like Germany and Norway. In the background, something else emerged simultaneously: an animal-sex-tourism industry, which has been blossoming in Denmark.<ref>[https://sites.google.com/site/newsreport3738/ Vice News report on bestiality upsurge in Europe]</ref>}}  

{{cquote|Bestiality is having a weird renaissance in [[Europe]]. Perhaps ironically, it kicked off when activists succeeded in banning the practice in places like Germany and Norway. In the background, something else emerged simultaneously: an animal-sex-tourism industry, which has been blossoming in Denmark.<ref>[https://sites.google.com/site/newsreport3738/ Vice News report on bestiality upsurge in Europe]</ref>}}  

On July 1, 2013 the ''Daily Mail'' reported that bestiality brothels were spreading quickly through [[Germany]].<ref>[https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2352779/Bestiality-brothels-spreading-Germany-campaigner-claims-abusers-sex-animals-lifestyle-choice.html Bestiality brothels are 'spreading through Germany']</ref> In addition, the ''Daily Mail'' reported that there "are even 'erotic zoos' which people can visit to abuse animals ranging from llamas to goats."<ref>[https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2352779/Bestiality-brothels-spreading-Germany-campaigner-claims-abusers-sex-animals-lifestyle-choice.html Bestiality brothels are 'spreading through Germany']</ref>

On July 1, 2013, the ''Daily Mail'' reported that bestiality brothels were spreading quickly through [[Germany]].<ref>[https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2352779/Bestiality-brothels-spreading-Germany-campaigner-claims-abusers-sex-animals-lifestyle-choice.html Bestiality brothels are 'spreading through Germany']</ref> In addition, the ''Daily Mail'' reported that there "are even 'erotic zoos' which people can visit to abuse animals ranging from llamas to goats."<ref>[https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2352779/Bestiality-brothels-spreading-Germany-campaigner-claims-abusers-sex-animals-lifestyle-choice.html Bestiality brothels are 'spreading through Germany']</ref>

In 2014, according to Danish journalist Margit Shabanzahen, a Danish man who ran a business catering to people who have sex with horses said that he had buses of people arriving at his business.<ref>[https://sites.google.com/site/newsreport3738/ Vice News report on bestiality upsurge in Europe]</ref>

In 2014, according to Danish journalist Margit Shabanzahen, a Danish man who ran a business catering to people who have sex with horses said that he had buses of people arriving at his business.<ref>[https://sites.google.com/site/newsreport3738/ Vice News report on bestiality upsurge in Europe]</ref>