SECULARIZATION AS AN ECONOMIC AND CULTURAL PHENOMENON - A CROSS-NATIONAL ANALYSIS

Previous research indicates the importance of the religious market the ory in explaining cross-national differences in secularization. In thi s article, religious market variables are compared with indices of mod ernization and culture in explaining differences in religious mentalit y and religious activity. Data from the 1990 European Values Survey fo r 16 countries are used. In general, culture and modernization are mor e important than the religious market structure. Although church membe rship is explained by the religions market structure, the effects are opposed to the expectations. Of the modernization and cultural indices , development of welfare state and masculinity/femininity appear to be the most relevant characteristics. Of the market variables, level of state regulation is more important than religious pluralism.