Religion in Flux : An Empirical Study of Contemporary Attitudes on the Transcendent in Sweden and Towards a New Definition of Religion

Sweden is often described as one of the most secular countries in the world. Yet, when traditional indicators such as church attendance and religious affiliation are replaced by broader definitions of religion, a more complex picture emerges. The purpose of this study is to develop an inclusive definition through which the prevalence of religion in society can be measured, thereby fostering a deeper understanding of the current religious landscape in Sweden. In doing so, I aim to test and potentially challenge, the prevailing perception of Sweden as a secular society. The analysis is guided by post-secular theories, which offer a more nuanced lens through which to interpret religious expressions beyond conventional frameworks. A modern definition of religion must reflect the fluid and individualized ways in which people today relate to the transcendent, and it must contrast to naturalism. Otherwise, research risks providing a distorted view of how prevalent religion is in society. The proposed definition is: “An individual falls within the category of religion if, and only if, they possess a positive cognitive attitude toward a metaphysical transcendent reality”. Based on this definition, an online survey was conducted with 526 adult Swedish citizens, and the results were analysed using this broad understanding of religion. This gave at hand that religion is prevalent in Sweden, contradicting the claim that Sweden is one of the most secularized countries in the world. While 50% of the participants self-identified as religious or spiritual, and the other 50% as agnostics or atheists, there were high levels of positive cognitive attitudes towards the transcendent. For example, 70% of the sample agreed with the statement “I believe that there is a spiritual force”. One interesting finding from the survey was that self-identification as religious, spiritual, agnostic, or atheist did not always align with individuals’ cognitive attitudes toward the transcendent. For example, 10% of the participants that self-identified as atheists did agree with the statement “I believe that there is a God or gods” while 6% of those who self-identified as religious disagreed with the same statement. The conclusion of the study is that research in the field of religion must adapt to the evolving nature of religion in order to remain relevant.