European secularization reflects indifference rather than hostility to religion

Evidence

In Europe, Western civilization could also be undermined by the weakening of its central component, Christianity. Declining proportions of Europeans profess religious beliefs, observe religous practices, and participate in religous activities. This trend reflects not so much hostility to religion as indifference to it. Christian concepts, values, and practices nonetheless pervade European civilization. “Swedes are probably the most unreligious people in Europe,” one of them commented, “but you cannot understand this country at all unless you realize that our institutions, social practices, families, politics, and way of life are fundamentally shaped by our Lutheran heritage.” — Samuel P. Huntington, The Clash of Civilizations and the…, 845

Categorization

• XREF: The contrast between US religiosity and European indifference parallels themes in my noise/silence reading about how deeply cultural institutions embed values; also resonates with the Milwaukee piece on institutions.
• SHARE: Send the Swedish Lutheran-heritage quote to anyone writing about secularism and cultural persistence.