Religion in the life of the Austrians 1970 - 2000

The situation in Austria with regard to religion has been continuously studied since 1970, with a research instrument that has essentially remained-the same. Continuing the series of studies "Religion in the Life of Austrians" (1970, 1980 and, 1990) is of great importance not only for research in the field of the sociology of religion but also for orientation among members of society concerned with or active on the relevant issues. The fourth replication of the study will offer a detailed and profound analysis for Austria of changes in the population`s religious attitudes. Long-term trends can be recognized and future developments can be predicted. The study`s overall goal is to analyze the religious situation of people in Austria. In this context, the forms of religion which are of interest are not only Christian forms but also alternative forms such as are seen in various esoteric movements or in unusual or unique religious communities, as well as the varieties of "invisible religions" that people experience in the culture of their everyday lives. Recent research in the field of the sociology of religion suggests the advisability of analyzing socio-religious traits at several levels separately. - At issue are the origin of religious thought and experience; the emergence of religious attitudes in the biographical context; and also religious socialization, upbringing and education. - Of particular interest is the role played by the many diverse institutions that influence the development of religious attitudes: religious communities, the family, instances of religious education, non-school projects for children and youth, the media, etc. - In the study, people`s subjective religiousness is a topic which deals with, among other things, their self- assessment on questions of religion, with their understanding of religion, with the functions fulfilled by religion and with everyday religiousness. - The study will investigate the extent to which the elements of Christian faith leave their mark on people in Austria. People`s conception of God, their trust in Christian beliefs and their attitudes toward other religions -- these will all be at issue in the study. - Research topics related to religious and church praxis will include the following: prayer and frequency of prayer; attendance at religious services; active involvement in church organizations; people`s level of trust in churches; and the churches` competence. A new research focus will be introduced in 1999. Particularly in its qualitative segment, the study will inquire into the "search for the religious aura." This search takes place increasingly seldom in the context of institutional religions. Instead, it takes place in esoterics, in magic, in Far Eastern meditation practices, etc. Especially people under 40 years of age engage in these sorts of "search" movements. The research project under discussion will avail itself of both qualitative and quantitative methodologies, and it will engage in the analysis of literature and data relevant to the issues. The qualitative part of the study will focus on the new domain of "alternative religiousness" (e.g., via a qualitative survey, focus groups and interviews with experts); the quantitative part of the study, on the other hand, will serve as a replication study and concern itself for the most part with the "classic" research issues.

Austria is still a religious country. More than two thirds of the Austrian people regard themselves as religious. Neither is there any evidence for an end of Christianity as such. Christian elements form an integral part of almost all tenets of life. The secularization thesis of the seventies - argueing that a higher level of modernization results in a decline of religiousness - cannot be confirmed. On the contrary: The more modern a society is, the more productive in regard to religion it becomes. The results of a longtime study project supervised by Paul M. Zulehner and called "Religion in the lives of the Austrian people 1970 2000", which by now has been examining the situation of religion in Austria for more than thirty years, fortiefies this. Thus religion is coming back again, albeit it has not been exempted from pluralisation and individualisation. The study provides evidence for the heterogenity of religious perspectives. Hence 30% of the Austrians might be labelled humanists: Although they do not explicitly share Christian or Far-eastern religious beliefs, quest, desire or even belief in an undefined god do play a role in their lives. Or: The 13% of the Austrian people inclining towards atheism deny the existence of god or, at least, do not notice his presence. For them death puts an end to everything, the sense of life is life itself. Yet even among those there are some who are not indifferent to the religious question. From a socio-religious perspective, the 30% of the so-called composers of religion are the most interesting: These adopt individual positions from Christianity, yet refuse to think of god in strictly Christian terms. Members of this group combine Far-eastern, naturalistic and humane thinking. How artistic this is done, whether we are dealing with new creations, imitations, nursery rhymes, experimental music or symphonies, we do not know yet. Since religion forms an integral part of any person`s creed, it is no longer possible to ignore its relevance for and influence on public life and to regard it as a purely private matter. Religious beliefs correlate with other individual perspectives, e.g. persons whose religiousness is strongly connected with the institution of the church are usually more authoritarian, but also of greater solidarity than those with weaker ties to the church. Even the Austrians` degree of association with the church is much more differentiated than is usually accounted for. The study highlights a variety of different expectations people have in regard to the institution of the church. Among those who consider themselves as members of the church there are different types: The so-called social Christians (42% in Austria) go to church rather infrequently, yet expect the church to show social commitment. The ritualists (14%) attend service from time to time and appreciate church rites, but refuse to acknowledge social commitment. These 56% have a sceptical attitude towards the church, but do not principally object to it. 31% of the persons questioned can be regarded as intense Christians: They live in a Christian environment and are the regular customers or patrons of the churches, their backbone and source of power. Therefore only 14% of the Austrian people can be described as downright non-members of the church. The joy and freedom that people nowadays experience while forming their own individual religion, but also the various expectations they have in regard to the churches and the potential for conflict these provide, all that leads to a range of new questions: in regard to the future of religion in our country as well as concerning the part the churches might take in an era of religious pluralism, which even in Austria is an undeniable reality.