Economics of religion on trial: how disestablishment did not lead to religious revival in the Swiss cantons of Geneva and Neuchâtel

According to ideas in contemporary economics of religion, religious disestablishment will lead to religious vitality: more strictness, more evangelising, and more growth. The present article puts this theory to the test by inspecting the historical record (1900 to the present) of the two Swiss canto...

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Publié dans:Journal of contemporary religion
Auteur principal: Stolz, Jörg 1967- (Auteur)
Type de support: Électronique Article
Langue:Anglais
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Publié: Carfax Publ. [2018]
Dans: Journal of contemporary religion
Sujets / Chaînes de mots-clés standardisés:B Kanton Genf / Kanton Neuenburg / Religion / Privatisation / Renouveau religieux
RelBib Classification:AD Sociologie des religions
KBC Suisse
Sujets non-standardisés:B regulation of religion
B Establishment of religion
B economics of religion
B Secularisation
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Résumé:According to ideas in contemporary economics of religion, religious disestablishment will lead to religious vitality: more strictness, more evangelising, and more growth. The present article puts this theory to the test by inspecting the historical record (1900 to the present) of the two Swiss cantons where disestablishment went farthest—Geneva and Neuchâtel—and by comparing them to other Swiss cantons where church and state remained closely linked. I find that the predictions of the economic model are not corroborated. Formerly established churches did not become stricter, did show increased, but relatively unsuccessful marketing efforts, did not grow, and became very poor financially. Non-established churches did not seem to benefit in any way from the disestablishment. The article makes four specific theoretical points that explain why this was the case.
ISSN:1469-9419
Contient:Enthalten in: Journal of contemporary religion
Persistent identifiers:DOI: 10.1080/13537903.2018.1469263