Does religiosity affect attitudes towards homosexuality? Evidence from the European Social Survey (ESS)

Purpose Religiosity remains one of the most consistent predictors of moral conservatism in contemporary Europe, particularly in shaping public attitudes toward homosexuality (Lin et al., 2021; Janssen and Scheepers, 2019). Drawing on data from Round 9 (2018) of the European Social Survey, this study aims to investigate how both the intensity of religious commitment and religious affiliation influence support for homosexuality across 28 European countries. Unlike previous studies that treat religion as a uniform influence, this research offers a more nuanced analysis by incorporating doctrinal diversity, demographic moderators and contextual variation. Design/methodology/approach Using ordinary least squares regression, the findings confirm a robust negative association between religiosity and support for homosexuality. Findings However, this relationship varies significantly across religious groups: Jewish and Protestant respondents demonstrate comparatively higher acceptance, while Eastern Orthodox and Muslim respondents express more conservative views. These denominational patterns suggest that religious doctrine and institutional context jointly shape moral attitudes, challenging monolithic views of religion’s role in public opinion. Demographic characteristics further mediate this relationship. Gender and marital status interact in meaningful ways, with married men consistently showing the least supportive attitudes, while never-married women are the most affirming. These patterns reflect the influence of gendered religious socialization and traditional family norms on value formation. Originality/value This study contributes to the literature by integrating theory-driven hypotheses with cross-national analysis and highlighting the layered ways in which belief, identity, and social context intersect. It also offers implications for public policy, education and civic engagement – suggesting that strategies to promote LGBTQ+ inclusion must account for religious diversity, demographic variation, and the institutional environments in which attitudes are shaped.