Just over half (51%) of French men and women do not believe in God and the Covid-19 epidemic has had little effect on religious practice, according to an Ifop * survey for the Association of Journalists information on religions (Ajir) published this Thursday. To the question “Do you personally believe in God?” “, 51% of respondents answered” no “(compared to 44% in 2011 and 2004). The French were 66% to believe in God in 1947, according to an Ifop poll of the time.
In detail, the most believers are among those 65 years and over (58%) then among the 18-34 years (48%). Has the Covid-19 epidemic brought them closer to a religious practice? “No”, say the interviewees, at 91%. Only 9% answer in the affirmative. Asked about the fire at Notre-Dame de Paris cathedral in 2019, 79% replied that this event did not awaken in them any “religious feeling” or “spiritual fiber”. But 21% feel the opposite.
Another lesson: the French speak less and less about religion in family: they are 38%, against 58% in November 2009. And only 29% speak about it with their friends (49% in 2009). The study is also interested in their opinion on Pope Francis; 41% think that he defends the values of Catholicism “fairly well”, 44% that he defends them “neither well nor badly” and 15% “rather badly”. In addition, 68% of French people think that religions “can help to transmit to young people points of reference and positive values: respect for others, tolerance, generosity, responsibility”. They were 77% to think so in 2009.
For 54% of those questioned, “all religions are equal” (62% in 2007). For 47% of French people, “the message and values of Christianity are still relevant”. And for 47%, “religions can make a positive contribution to major societal debates: bioethics, moralization of the economy, family” (against 51% in 2009).
* The survey was conducted from August 24 to 25 with a sample of 1,028 people, representative of the French population aged 18 and over by self-administered online questionnaire, according to the quota method.