Authors

• Church Research Institute

Keywords

church, pastoral work, religious attendance, religious behaviour, religious beliefs, religious ceremonies, religious discrimination, religious freedom, religious movements, religious practice

Abstract

The survey contains questions about church and religion. The respondents were asked whether they were members of a church, and if they were members of the Evangelical Lutheran Church, had they ever thought about resigning from it. Furthermore, the respondents were asked how often they participated in various religious ceremonies or activities, such as church services, communions, church concerts, revival meetings, or field trips, and how often they prayed, read the bible/a Christian magazine, or followed religious programmes on television or in the radio. The respondents were also asked whether they believed in the existence of God, in biblical miracles, and in some other ecclesiastical teachings. Their opinions about the liturgical reform, freedom of religion in Finland, and the afterlife were canvassed. The respondents were asked to estimate how significant the various reasons for being a member of the church were to them, and who in Finland should be responsible for graveyard maintenance.

Furthermore, they were asked whether they had been subjected to religious threats, demands, or sanctions, or discriminated against because of their religious convictions during the past year. They were finally presented with a list of duties belonging to the Finnish Evangelical Lutheran Church and its congregations, and asked to estimate how well the church and its congregations have fulfilled these obligations.

Background variables included the respondent's age, sex, education, professional group, income group, province of residence, and type of municipality of residence.