Comparing Political Attitudes of Evangelicals with the Attitudes of Mainline Christians and Non-Church Members in The Netherlands

Abstract

Evangelicals are generally considered culturally conservative regarding issues like abortion or homosexuality and sometimes also economically conservative regarding issues like tax reduction. But does this image also apply to Dutch evangelicals who live in a secular environment in which they constitute only a tiny fraction of the number of church members? This article explores the political attitudes of Dutch evangelicals with the help of two research questions: (1) Do Dutch evangelicals hold more conservative political attitudes on economic and cultural issues than Catholics, mainline Protestants and non-church members? and (2) Which decisive factors determine the supposed conservatism among Dutch evangelicals as compared to Catholics, mainline Protestants and non-church members? Analyses of survey data show that Dutch evangelicals are indeed culturally conservative, but more liberal in economic matters. In addition, results also show that their cultural conservatism is related to their religious convictions, while their economic attitudes are unrelated to religion.

Church Growth in Times of Secularization: A Case Study of People Joining Evangelical Congregations in the Netherlands

“…As mentioned already, religious disaffiliation is widespread in the Netherlands and religious switching is rare, i.e., most Dutch stay in the church they were raised in or abandon church altogether (Becker and De Hart 2006, 40; cf also Need and De Graaf 2005). Furthermore, despite their emphasis on individual conversion and the personal appropriation of faith, which certainly fits the present-day Dutch cultural climate (Hak 2006, 101–104), evangelical congregations also exhibit features of a conservative, reactionary movement due to their view on the authority of the Bible or their position regarding contemporary moral issues like abortion, euthanasia or homosexuality (Boersema 2005, 169; Vermeer & Scheepers 2018). In the context of the Dutch religious landscape evangelical congregations thus represent a more distinctive and demanding form of Christianity.…”

African, Religious, and Tolerant? How Religious Diversity Shapes Attitudes Toward Sexual Minorities in Africa

“…Social diversity can inspire outbidding, entrench social identities, and decrease tolerance toward other groups or “newcomers” (Enos 2014). 9 Such competition between religious groups specifically can incentivize religious minorities to sharpen their distinct religious identity (Vermeer and Scheepers 2017). 10 If attitudes toward homosexuality follow these patterns, religious or other forms of social diversity could inhibit Africans' pro-social behavior, entrench attitudes against “outsiders,” and undermine tolerance toward marginalized groups, including sexual minorities.…”