It is believed that faith still determines the life of most people on the planet earth. The belief continues to shape the everyday lives of many people
The present modern is not a godless time. Rather, it is strongly influenced by the attractiveness of religious belief
In the 20th century, many sociologists advocated the “secularization thesis”: that in modern societies religious belief is becoming weaker and weaker, losing its cultural and political weight, is secularizing, that is, secular. But religion has never disappeared – it has gained new cultural significance over the past three decades. Certainly, in Europe in particular you know atheists, agnostics, and non-believers who can no longer gain anything from the traditional ecclesiastical symbolic languages and rites. But outside of our continent, religion has lost none of its fascinations.
For demographic reasons alone, religion will continue to gain in importance: The particularly pious have more children than others in all parts of the world and in all religions.
Religion gains new meaning through migration
People have always left their homeland. However, never before has there been as many migrants as there are today: around 200 million people live permanently in a foreign country. They live either in their relatives or friends’ houses or in assured rent properties.
Migration strengthens religion, is a doctrine of religious researchers. Because emigration is extremely risky, you set off into an uncertain future – and cling to your God on difficult hiking trails. He creates identity in new, often hostile environments.
Quite a few people only become pious through migration: religion enables them to cultivate a bond with their homeland and thus ensure continuity in their life history. One can study this well using the example of the USA, the country of immigration par excellence. There, religious institutions have always helped newcomers to find their way into society. This creates close emotional contact with these parishes and synagogues.
And this is how some researchers explain the fact that religion plays a particularly large role in the USA, with the interplay between migration and religiously organized integration. In this respect, European societies may still be “Americanized”.