Holiness shifts from church to nature and culture
Research shows that need for rest and meaning remains, but place changes
Although the Netherlands is rapidly debilitating, the need for meaning, rest and connection does not disappear. It's moving. This is demonstrated by a national survey of . . . . . . . . . . . . Socires, Vrijezinen Nederland, Museum Catharijneconvent and the Lectorate Theology of the Christian University of Ede (CHE). 1,517 Dutch people aged 18 and over participated in the study.
For a century and a half, the Netherlands has had a process of degeneration. Meanwhile, 58 percent of the Dutch no longer count as a religious community and one in four church buildings no longer have a religious function. Against this background, Ipsos I&O investigated how Dutch people experience their immediate living environment and which places have a special or even sacred meaning for them. The central question was what role religious and non-religious places play in fulfilling emotional, spiritual and social needs.
One in three visits religious building
Despite the decline, 31 percent of Dutch visitors visit a religious building at least once a year. This is not only for religious reasons. Besides faith, peace, reflection, remembrance and appreciation for architecture and culture are also mentioned. At the same time, a majority of non-religious Dutch people never visit a religious building. It is striking that a quarter of people who call themselves religious never visit a religious building. Church visits are therefore less obvious than religious identity suggests.
Need for rest
The strongest finding in the study is the central role of rest. Four out of five Dutch people consciously seek a place to experience peace. Two thirds even call quiet places crucial in the environment. This peace is mainly found in the home and in nature. Religious buildings mainly play a role in consolation and the sense of connection to a greater whole, but less in social encounter. For people to meet and to meet they are mainly called restaurants, cultural institutions and sports associations.
Young people often seek places to experience joy and tranquility, but also more often indicate that they do not have enough rest, especially in strong urban areas.
Wide support for re-destination of churches
The future of religious buildings appears to be an important social issue. Only 14 percent of the Dutch think that an empty church building should preferably retain a religious function. The majority is open to re-destination, for example as a home, community centre or cultural facility. It is striking that young people over 50 think that a religious function should be preserved.
There are differences of opinion about responsibility for religious heritage. Older generations often place these with owners and administrators, while younger Dutch people see a role for the government or the local community.
Rest
"If the need for peace and meaning remains great while churches are emptying, the question arises as to what role these buildings can play in the future," the research clients say. "As churches are less and less worn by an active community of faith, their significance is given a broader social dimension. Many Dutch people value places where silence is possible, where there is room for rituals or remembrance and where not only consumption is central."
Sacrifice is more than religion
In the Netherlands, the concept of "sacrifice" is not exclusively religiously charged. For many people it means something that is precious or untouchable. What makes a place sacred, according to half of the Dutch is mainly silence or peace. History, the nature of the place and personal connection also play a major role. In addition to churches, nature reserves, cemeteries, memorial sites and their own house are therefore also experienced as a hallmark.
 Want to know more?Download the report on the Ipsos website.
This study was conducted from the SociresprogrammeStructures of Meaning. For more information, please contact Programme CoordinatorWard Huetinkand/or investigatorEllen Klaver.
