Religion and Society

The topic of religion is becoming increasingly prevalent in the media. Hardly a day goes by without a report on some aspect of religious life: papal visits, interfaith conflicts, the clash of civilizations and fear of Islam are just a few. Observers have given the trend various names, including "the renaissance of religion" (Hans Joas), "the return of the gods" (Friedrich Wilhelm Graf), "the return of religion" (Gottfried Küenzlen), "the megatrend of respiritualization" (Matthias Horx) and "the return of the sacred" (Daniel Bell). Paul M. Zulehner has posed the question, "Is religion making a comeback?"  Wolfram Weimer even calls the 21st century an "age of religion."

Yet how do things stand in Germany? Some 44 percent of Germans believe that religion will maintain its significance in society, the highest such percentage in over 10 years. Some 23 percent believe that religion will gain in importance, while the percentage of those who feel that the significance of the Christian faith continues unabated reached 52 percent at the beginning of 2005 and has remained at that level ever since. (Source: Institut für Demoskopie Allensbach),

On the other hand, the current Shell Youth Study has found that most young people in Germany only have a tentative relationship to traditional belief. Only 30 percent believe in a personal God and only 19 percent in a personal higher power. A Europe-wide study by Hans-Georg Ziebertz has found that only 23 percent of Germany's young people grew up in a religious household and consider themselves religious. Yet the same is true for 81 percent of young people in Turkey and 80 percent of those in Poland. (Source: Frankfurter Allgemeine Sonntagszeitung, December 17, 2006).

Given the many forms of religious and spiritual life in today's world, there is a great need for an in-depth analysis of current data on the subject. Through its Religion Monitor project, the Bertelsmann Stiftung wants to expand current knowledge on the subject.

Why this topic?
The Bertelsmann Stiftung is dedicated to addressing challenges stemming from demographic change and society's growing heterogeneity in light of religion's increasing significance. As part of the Religion Monitor project, data are being collected and analyzed, and working groups are examining Christianity's future prospects in order to develop recommendations and strategies. Project participants will be taking a critical look at both religious structures and media communications. A further objective is to increase interfaith competence among policymakers and other societal leaders.

In keeping with its tradition of serving the common good, the Bertelsmann Stiftung wants to ensure that society is capable of addressing both its current and future challenges. That includes its ability to deal with the cultural and sociological aspects of religion. A key part of the project's efforts will therefore be dedicated to looking beyond traditional institutions to what Robert Musil has called "the religion of those without religion."