Study title

Church Monitor 2007

Dataset ID Number

FSD2833

Persistent identifiers

https://urn.fi/urn:nbn:fi:fsd:T-FSD2833
https://doi.org/10.60686/t-fsd2833

Data Type

Quantitative

Authors

• Church Research Institute

Abstract

The survey studied Finnish opinion on paranormal phenomena, spirituality and religions. Other main themes included religious behaviour, membership in a church or a religious community, and possible reasons for leaving the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Finland.

First, the respondents were asked whether there is truth in none, one or all religions. A number of questions focused on paranormal and supernatural beliefs, covering astrology, UFOs, alternative medicine, future-prediction, communication with the dead, ghosts, dreams, the existence of snowman or the Loch Ness monster. Other questions covered behaviour related to such beliefs, such as consulting a spiritual healer, an astrologer or a psychic, or attending magical rituals or pagan ceremonies, or exercising spiritism or meditative activities (yoga, tai chi) etc.

The survey also investigated membership in a church or other religious community, as well as the self-image of the respondents regarding their religiousness (did they see themselves as religious, spiritual, God-believing, born-again Christians, atheists etc). The respondents were also asked whether they had left the Evangelical Lutheran Church and why.

Religious beliefs were charted with a number of questions, asking the respondents whether they believed in God, Heaven, Hell, angels, Satan and miracles described in the Bible. Two questions explored Bible-reading and praying. Finally, opinions were charted on homosexuality and whether the church should accept same-sex registered partnerships for church members and for priests.

Background variables included the respondent's gender, town or type of municipality of residence, age, basic education, number of persons in the household, monthly income of the household and the respondent, number of times R had moved during the last 10 years, marital status, household composition, economic activity and occupational status of the respondent and the household head, R's mother tongue, employment status and trade union membership, and the economic circumstances of the household.

Keywords

astrology; christianity; church; complementary therapies; ghosts; homosexuality; religion; religious behaviour; religious beliefs; supernatural

Topic Classification

• Humanities (Fields of Science Classification)
• Social sciences (Fields of Science Classification)
• Religion and values (CESSDA Topic Classification)

Series

Church Monitors

Distributor

Finnish Social Science Data Archive

Access

The dataset is (B) available for research, teaching and study.

Data Collector

• MDC RISC International

Data Producers

• Church Research Institute

Time Period Covered

2007

Collection Dates

2007-01 – 2007-03

Nation

Finland

Geographical Coverage

Finland

Analysis/Observation Unit Type

Individual

Universe

People aged 15 - 75 living in Finland (excluding the Åland Islands)

Time Method

Longitudinal: Trend/Repeated cross-section

Sampling Procedure

Non-probability: Quota

Random start method. The data were collected in connection with the RISC Monitor 2007 survey in Finland.

Collection Mode

Telephone interview

Self-administered questionnaire

Research Instrument

Structured questionnaire

Data File Language

Downloaded data package may contain different language versions of the same files.

The data files of this dataset are available in the following languages: Finnish.

FSD translates quantitative data into English on request, free of charge. More information on ordering data translation.

Data Version

1.0

Completeness of Data and Restrictions

The questionnaire sent by the data depositor does not contain the background variables.

Weighting

There are no weight variables in the data.

Citation Requirement

The data and its creators shall be cited in all publications and presentations for which the data have been used. The bibliographic citation may be in the form suggested by the archive or in the form required by the publication.

Bibliographical Citation

Church Research Institute: Church Monitor 2007 [dataset]. Version 1.0 (2013-06-10). Finnish Social Science Data Archive [distributor]. https://urn.fi/urn:nbn:fi:fsd:T-FSD2833

Deposit Requirement

Notify FSD of all publications where you have used the data by sending the citation information to user-services.fsd@tuni.fi.

Disclaimer

The original data creators and the archive bear no responsibility for any results or interpretations arising from the reuse of the data.

Related Publications

Monikasvoinen kirkko. Suomen evankelis-luterilainen kirkko vuosina 2004-2007 (2008). Kirkon tutkimuskeskuksen julkaisuja; 103. Tampere: Kirkon tutkimuskeskus.

Kääriäinen, Kimmo & Ketola, Kimmo & Niemelä, Kati & Palmu, Harri & Salomäki, Hanna (2009). Facing Diversity: The Evangelical Lutheran Church of Finland from 2004 to 2007. (Publication 60) Tampere: The Church Research Institute.

Mångfaldens kyrka. Evankelisk-lutherska kyrkan i Finland åren 2004-2007 (2009). Kyrkans forkningscentrals publikationer 106. Tammerfors: Kyrkans forkningscentral.

Haimila, Roosa (2016). Olikohan tsunami jonkinlainen opetus. Luonnonkatastrofin yliluonnollinen tarkoitus ja tieteelliset selitykset internetkeskustelussa. Helsinki: Helsingin yliopisto. Humanistinen tiedekunta. Uskontotieteen pro gradu -tutkielma.

Haastettu kirkko. Suomen evankelis-luterilainen kirkko vuosina 2008-2011 (2012). Kirkon tutkimuskeskuksen julkaisuja 115. Tampere: Kirkon tutkimuskeskus

Lähteinen, Lilja (2020). Katsotko olevasi kristitty? - Kyselytutkimus lukiolaisten uskonnollisista käsityksistä. Kandidaatintutkielma. Helsingin yliopisto

Salomäki, Hanna & Hytönen, Maarit & Ketola, Kimmo & Salminen, Veli-Matti & Sohlberg, Jussi (2020): Uskonto arjessa ja juhlassa: Suomen evankelis-luterilainen kirkko vuosina 2016-2019 [verkkodokumentti]. Tampere: Kirkon tutkimuskeskus. Kirkon tutkimuskeskuksen julkaisuja 134. https://julkaisut.evl.fi/catalog/Tutkimukset%20ja%20julkaisut/r/4238 [viitattu 9.2.2021]

Mikkola, Elisa. 2019. Enkelit tuovat apua ja lumoa arkeen. Kyselytutkimus Lorna Byrnen Suomen tilaisuuksiin osallistuneille. Teologinen Aikakauskirja 4/2019, 308-328.

Mikkola, Elisa. 2020. Lorna Byrne - tämän ajan naismystikon kulttuurinen pääoma ja legitimaatio. Uskonnontutkija- Religionsforskare 9: 1, 1-27.

Mikkola, Elisa. 2021. Angel Spirituality in the World's Happiest Country: The Attraction of Lorna Byrne among Finnish Women. Journal of Religion in Europe, vol 13(3-4), 351-379.

Mikkola, Elisa (2022). Naiset toimijoina uushenkisyyden kentällä. Teoksessa: Uushenkisyys. Tiina Mahlamäki ja Minna Opas (toim.) 284-313. Tietolipas 275. Helsinki: Suomalaisen kirjallisuuden seura.

Mikkola, Elisa (2022). Uushenkisen kentän mahdollistajat. FreeFlowFactory osana lumon ketjua. Julkaistaan Teologinen Aikakauskirja 4/2022, 50-66.

Ketola, Kimmo & Sohlberg, Jussi. 2022. Ketkä näkevät enkeleitä? Suomalaisten yliluonnolliset kokemukset ja enkeliusko kyselytutkimusten valossa. Teoksessa: Minna Opas & Tiina Mahlamäki (toim.), Uushenkisyys, 94-117. (Tietolipas 275) Helsinki: Suomalaisen Kirjallisuuden Seura.

Mikkola, Elisa (2023). Naisten yhteistoiminnassa tuottama enkelihenkisyys: Naisten uudet toimijapositiot uushenkisyyden kentällä. Helsinki: Helsingin yliopisto. Humanistinen tiedekunta. Dissertationes Universitatis Helsingiensis 70/2023.