Belgium, A Catholic Country
Generally Speaking
The most updated statistics show an humanity becoming ever more religious. The number of adherents to great religions rises faster than the world population, whereas the increase of non-religious people and atheists stagnates. The yearly growth of non-religious people and atheists is far below the increase of the world's population. Amongst the great religions, Islam is the fastest growing one. The growth of Christianity nearly equals the growth of the world's population. The number of adherents to Buddhism increases with 1% on a yearly basis.
Becaus of historical reasons, Belgium is a Catholic country. The Catholic church has been structuring the span of life from the cradle to the grave, both in the city and on the country side. Ever since processes of secularization during the 1960's and 1970's, the impact of Catholicism on the patterns of life and thought has decreased. This is why Belgium is a Catholic country 'in general'. The official numbers of Catholics however show a significant gap with the way in which the Belgian population feels committed to religion.
Together with the non-profit organisation KMS (Kerkwerk Multicultureel Samenleven) I’m working on a project about religions.
