(ZENIT News / Rome, 07.09.2026).- For decades, Europe has often been portrayed as the world’s most secular continent, where church attendance has steadily declined and religious practice has become increasingly private. Yet new research argues that focusing only on empty pews overlooks a deeper reality: religion continues to shape Europe’s economy, institutions and public life in ways that remain remarkably influential.
That is the central conclusion of a comprehensive review published by the Berlin-based Rockwool Foundation. Drawing on centuries of economic research from around the world, the study argues that religion continues to influence prosperity not simply through worship, but by shaping education, family life, savings habits, social norms and the institutions that guide public policy.
The report, «Religion and Economic Growth: What We Know and Why It Matters,» was written by economists Sascha Becker of the University of Warwick, Jared Rubin of Chapman University and Ludger Woessmann of the University of Munich. Rather than measuring religion solely by levels of belief or church attendance, the researchers examine how religious traditions have left lasting institutional and cultural legacies that continue to influence modern societies.
«Anyone who considers religion a marginal factor overlooks a fundamental part of our social structure,» Becker explained. In his view, religion remains significant because it has shaped—and in many places continues to shape—the norms and institutions through which governments develop public policy.
Education offers one of the clearest examples. Although historians have long recognized Christianity’s contribution to literacy through the desire to read Scripture, Becker argues that religious influence did not disappear with the rise of secular states. Across Europe, many educational systems still include faith-based schools, while religious communities continue to play an important role in transmitting values alongside academic instruction.
England illustrates this enduring reality. Approximately one-third of publicly funded schools have a religious character, most affiliated with the Church of England, with substantial numbers linked to the Catholic Church and smaller numbers associated with Jewish and Muslim communities. According to Becker, even parents who rarely practice religion may choose these schools because they associate them with discipline, ethical formation and strong educational expectations.
The researchers caution policymakers against assuming that secular educational reforms are automatically perceived as neutral. Where religious identity remains closely connected to community life, reforms that appear purely administrative may instead be viewed as challenges to cultural identity. For governments seeking to improve literacy, workforce participation or women’s employment, understanding these dynamics is therefore essential.
The report extends its analysis beyond classrooms to one of Europe’s most sensitive contemporary issues: migration. Across the continent, immigration debates increasingly intersect with questions of national identity, with some political movements invoking Europe’s Christian heritage while advocating tighter migration policies.
At the same time, many Christian organizations have taken a very different approach. Groups such as the Jesuit Refugee Service have become important partners in helping newcomers learn local languages, understand public services and integrate into their host societies. Muslim organizations have likewise played similar roles within their own communities. Becker argues that effective integration policies require governments to recognize the social influence of religious institutions without either ignoring them or relying on simplistic multicultural assumptions.
Spain offers an interesting contrast. Public attitudes toward migrants have generally remained more welcoming than in several other European countries, while Catholic charities and the Church have played a visible role in assisting arrivals. Becker suggests that this openness is not driven solely by theological convictions but also reflects practical economic considerations, including persistent labor shortages.
The issue has also drawn renewed attention from Pope Leo XIV. During his recent visit to Spain and the Canary Islands, where many migrants arrive after dangerous sea crossings from Africa, the Pope met with migrants and with organizations dedicated to rescuing and accompanying them. He challenged Christians to recognize Christ in those arriving exhausted by violence, hunger, deserts and perilous maritime journeys, while urging governments to share responsibility for protecting migrants, combating human trafficking and promoting development in migrants’ countries of origin.
The researchers are careful to avoid presenting religion as an unqualified force for good. They acknowledge that religious interpretations can also hinder economic development when they restrict fundamental rights or participation in society. As one example, they cite Afghanistan, where Taliban policies severely limiting women’s participation in education and the labor market have contributed to economic stagnation.
Religion’s influence is also evolving in new directions. Many Christian communities, including the Catholic Church, increasingly emphasize environmental stewardship, encouraging lifestyles marked by moderation, sustainable development and responsible consumption. Becker argues that such ethical commitments may not reduce prosperity as traditionally measured but could instead encourage a different model of economic growth that places greater emphasis on long-term sustainability.
Perhaps one of the report’s most intriguing conclusions concerns ideas that have gradually become detached from their explicitly religious origins. The European Union’s principle of subsidiarity provides a striking example. Originally developed within Catholic social teaching, subsidiarity holds that higher levels of authority should support—not replace—families, local communities and intermediary institutions. Today, the concept has become a foundational legal principle of the European Union, guiding decisions about which responsibilities should remain local and which require action at the European level.
In that transformation lies one of the study’s broader insights. Even where religious practice has diminished, many of Europe’s governing principles, moral assumptions and institutional frameworks continue to bear the imprint of religious traditions. According to the researchers, understanding that historical inheritance is not an exercise in nostalgia but a practical necessity for policymakers seeking to address education, migration, social cohesion and sustainable development in an increasingly complex Europe.
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