Europe :: Religions -- Britannica Online Encyclopedia

Religions

The majority of primary culture groups in Europe have a single dominant religion, although the English, German, Swiss, Hungarian, and Netherlandic groups are noteworthy for the coexistence of Roman Catholicism and Protestantism. Like its languages, Europe’s religious divisions fall into three broad variants of a common ancestor, plus distinctive faiths adhered to by smaller groups.

Christianity

Most Europeans adhere to one of three broad divisions of Christianity: Roman Catholicism in the west and southwest, Protestantism in the north, and Eastern Orthodoxy in the east and southeast. The divisions of Christianity are the result of historic schisms that followed its period of unity as the adopted state religion in the late stages of the Roman Empire. The first major religious split began in the 4th century, when pressure from “barbarian” tribes led to the division of the empire into western and eastern parts. The bishop of Rome became spiritual leader of the West, while the patriarch of Constantinople led the faith in the East; the final break occurred in 1054. The line adopted to divide the two parts of the empire remains very much a cultural discontinuity in the Balkan Peninsula today, separating Roman Catholic Croats, Slovenes, and Hungarians from Eastern Orthodox Montenegrins, Serbs, Bulgarians, Romanians, and Greeks. The second schism occurred in the 16th century within the western branch of the religion, when Martin Luther inaugurated the Protestant Reformation. Although rebellion took place in many parts of western Europe against the central church authority vested in Rome, the Reformation was successful mainly in the Germanic-speaking areas of Britain, northern Germany, the Netherlands, Scandinavia, and the adjacent regions of Finland, Estonia, and Latvia.

Judaism and Islam

Judaism has been practiced in Europe since Roman times. Jews undertook continued migrations into and throughout Europe, in the process dividing into two distinct branches—the Ashkenazi and the Sephardi. Although the Holocaust and emigration greatly reduced their numbers in Europe—particularly in eastern Europe, where Jews once made up a large minority population—Jews are still found in urban areas throughout the continent.

Islam also has a long history in Europe. Islamic incursions into the Iberian and Balkan peninsulas during the Middle Ages were influential in the cultures of those regions. Muslim communities still exist in several parts of the Balkans, including Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and northeastern Bulgaria. In European Russia, Muslims are more numerous; among them are the Kazan Tatars and the Bashkirs in the Volga-Ural region. Large Muslim communities exist in many western European cities as well. The in-migration of guest workers from Asia, North Africa, Turkey, and the former Yugoslavia during eras of labour shortages and economic expansion, particularly in the second half of the 20th century, contributed to the growth of these communities.

LINKS

Other Britannica Sites

Get involved

Articles from Britannica encyclopedias for elementary and high school students.

Europe - Children's Encyclopedia (Ages 8-11): Europe is the second smallest of the world’s seven continents. Nevertheless Europe has more people than any other continent except Asia and Africa.
Europe - Student Encyclopedia (Ages 11 and up): The second smallest continent on Earth, after Australia, is Europe. It is the western part of the enormous Eurasian landmass, containing Europe and Asia. In the last 500 years Europe moved from playing a marginal role to a central role in world affairs. This shift was brought about by global trade and European conquests of lands around the world. Until the mid-20th century, countries in western Europe ruled, controlled, or powerfully influenced vast tracts of territory overseas. Although European countries no longer have empires, Europe’s international influence remains strong. To lovers of its achievements and its support for the human spirit, Europe is a beacon of hope. Critics, however, emphasize the great violence and damage Europeans did in the past in order to subdue and profit from other peoples. Those praising Europe’s contributions to education, technology, culture, and (recently) human rights can nevertheless acknowledge its destructive history.

The topic Europe is discussed at the following external Web sites.

Citations

To cite this page: MLAAPAHarvardChicago Manual of Style

MLA Style:

"Europe." Encyclopaedia Britannica. Encyclopaedia Britannica Online. Encyclopædia Britannica Inc., 2014. Web. 12 Oct. 2014. <http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/195686/Europe>.

APA Style:

Europe. (2014). In Encyclopaedia Britannica. Retrieved from http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/195686/Europe

Harvard Style:

Europe 2014. Encyclopædia Britannica Online. Retrieved 12 October, 2014, from http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/195686/Europe

Chicago Manual of Style:

Encyclopædia Britannica Online, s. v. "Europe," accessed October 12, 2014, http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/195686/Europe.

While every effort has been made to follow citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies. Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions.