I'd agree with the religious revival thesis along with Gilles Kepel. Secularisation might have been a trend, however it did not prove to be sustainable. The shape and form the religious revival will take, now, that is an interesting question. You see islam, christianity and pagan/wiccan/occult gaining strength in different part of Europe. 

Dear Monika,

Yes, I also agree. This post-secular revival of pre-Christian beliefs is linked to the difficulty of Christianity to speak to believers (who no longer have patience, who is expecting spectacular proofs immediately) on their language. And over this problem (the relationship of Christianity with its own believers) overlaps  the pressure of ecumenism, which, at least in the first phase, also presupposes  accepting compromises.

In this complicated context, where does the religion of the Europeans go?

The religiosity of the Europeans, not their religion, I apologize.

Dear Daniela, these maps are interesting, have you seen those? http://www.ucatholic.com/blog/10-revealing-maps-religion-europe/

Personally, I believe that syncretism, hybridity and ecumenism will give way to very rigid forms of religion. Liberal protestant communions struggle to find new adherents, similarly liberal Catholicism of the post Vatican II ilk is dying out. Most commonly you hear that social justice on Sunday doesn't really make sense. To the contrary, more traditionalist communities thrive even in places saturated with secularism like France or Belgium. Certain hardening stance also takes place vis a vis Islam; especially in CEE countries where societies tend to believe that compromise between two religions is not possible. 

Dear Monika,

Yes, I saw the maps, they are interesting, thanks. The color of Romania on the map of Belief in God is surprising for me.

In another train of thoughts, I think in the area of religion any regulation imposed from outside the community awakens defense reactions. If what is imposed is EU ecumenism, the community defends their specific Christian religion. If what is imposed is a canonical Christianity, the community defends local, pre-Christian beliefs that have survived alongside tolerant Christianity.

Islamic will spread  whole Eu in  the future?

Religion in Europe reached its diminishing point with the when the philosophy of Humanism was introduced and accepted. there is no future to religion and especially Christianity. there could be a turnaround but not when the humanistic philosophy has been reformed especially the freedom of human population 

But religiosity seems to be a feature characteristic of human beings (who create their divinity - see Durkheim and R. Girard, or who relate from the beginning to the divinity - see M. Eliade). And Christianity can  be considered a religion of freedom (as authentic believers perceive it).

All religions throughout the world are systems of faith-based reasoning. They have little--if anything--to do with scientific reasoning, which should serve as the basis for the development of all logical, rational and sensible thought.  

That is interesting view you hold to. Have you read Fides and Ratio per chance (or Thomas Aquinas?)

I am not interested in attempting to intellectualize this subject matter. My opinion comes from my lifelong experience and what I have learned from it. Please try and remember that knowledge comes from books and wisdom comes from living.

The relationship between religion and peoples is governed by the cultural level and level of awareness of those peoples

The greater the awareness and the more cultures of peoples, the better the future of religions

Any change is driven by faith-based reasoning and shaped by contextualisation....

There will be a sharp border line between Western and Eastern Europe. In the west, Christianity is heavily declining, and Islam is rising. In the east, there are only few Muslims, and Christianity stays. To the "east" in this sense also Catholic countries belong, such as Poland.

For the West, the crucial question is whether it will be possible to reform Islam, i.e. to bring Islam back to its humanistic roots, or not. At the moment, politicians in the West do a lot to arrange with anti-humanistic traditionalist Muslims, instead of supporting reformers. If Islam rises as a traditionalist Islam, and this is what currently happens, then western European societies will show an important role of religion since religion means being part of a powerful interest group, there. If you are neither Islamic nor Christian, politics will not take care of you. There will be even the danger, that non-religious people will come under serious pressure, again. Jews started to emigrate from certain western European countries, already. Just have a look at Lebanon or Syria: This is the model for Western Europe's future, if things go wrong (and they currently are going wrong).

In eastern Europe, Christianity will gain power considering the failure of western European societies. Non-Christian and non-religious persons will have more freedoms there because they are an unimportant minority, but they will not be taken serious any more, as they are today. If things go wrong, Eastern Europe with its known conservatism will be the nicer place to live.

Of course, all things will become much nicer, if Islamic reformers will have success and Islam shows its nicer face. Then, Western Europe will be the much nicer place to live, and Eastern European conservatives come under pressure to follow the Western example. But except Donald Trump, no Western politician spoke out in favour of Islamic reformers. Most politicians speak as if there was no problem with Islam at all.

Are there really EU recommendations concerning Orthodoxy? This is baffling me in two ways: (a) Does the state meddle in the affairs of a religious group? (b) Maybe the state sometimes has to meddle in the affairs of a religious group, but if so, then why aren't there such recomnendations concering Islam?

Dear Thorwald Franke,

I think the analysis you have done is pertinent.

The situation of Eastern Europe seems to be one of the paradoxical cases in which leaving behind is an advantage. I find it paradoxical how the values of Western democracy sabotage the survival of this democracy, too.

I find it tragic how, in order to respect the principles assumed, Europe sacrifices itself. It is not about good people/bad people, it is about defending / abandoning European identity.

I think this is a good idea for research about future religion in europe. Collabration with academition can be good result.

Religion is only a tool for uniting the people across the world. People may not give much importance for humanity, relationship and bondage throughout. But religion tries to fill the gaps with one bondage where majority of the people come under one umbrella. As long as human beings are on the earth, religion will also prevail. Basing on this perception, I acknowledge that in Europe also the religion will strengthen its bondage. Though we use 21 century technology and believe in science, our thoughts are not upto date and our thoughts on religion are as old as the hills and before the advent of Darwin's theory of evolution. 

I think in this century that Europe will be re-evangelized by Christians living in China, Africa, and Latin America. Such missionary efforts from the global East and South to the West are already in motion.

Human beings are religious by instinct as acquired over the course of evolution. It only our economic and political interests that we divide people one another in the name of religion. The rate at which the human intellect, knowledge, mind and civilization is progressing, there will be a time soon when our religions will exist as a common cultural wealth, as our science and knowledge do today, open to all without any sectarian divisions and game of politics to suit the needs of one and the all.