Lexi Webster
Austria has a rich religious history, with the country witnessing a transformation in its religious composition over the 20th and 21st centuries. While Austria guarantees freedom of religion as a constitutional right, the country has been predominantly Catholic for centuries, with Roman Catholicism being the oldest and most common religion. However, the country has seen a decline in Catholicism, with the rise of other religions such as Islam, Paganism, and Orthodox Christianity.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Most common religion | Roman Catholicism |
| Percentage of population that is Roman Catholic | 55.2% in 2021, down from 64.1% in 2011 and 73.8% in 2001 |
| Second most common religion | Islam |
| Percentage of population that is Muslim | 8.3% in 2021, up from 4% in 2015 |
| Third most common religion | Orthodox Christianity |
| Percentage of population that is Orthodox Christian | 4.9% in 2021, up from 2.2% in 2001 |
| Fourth most common religion | Evangelical Christianity |
| Percentage of population that is Evangelical Christian | 3.8% in 2021, down from 6% in 1971 |
| Percentage of population with no religion | 22.4% in 2021, up from 12% in 2001 |
| Religious freedom | Guaranteed in the Austrian constitution |
| Legal recognition of religious communities | 16 legally recognized churches and religious communities, 10 state-registered confessional communities |
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What You'll Learn
Religious freedom is a right in Austria
Austria has a rich religious history, with a long-standing Catholic majority. However, in recent decades, there has been a notable decline in Christianity, with the exception of Orthodox churches, and a rise in other religions. The most recent data shows that 57% of the population identify as Roman Catholic, 8% as Muslim, and 25% unaffiliated with any religion.
Despite the dominance of Catholicism, religious freedom is a legal right in Austria. This right was first established in 1781 with the Patent of Tolerance, and has been further strengthened over the years through various laws and international agreements. The Austrian constitution guarantees freedom of conscience and creed, meaning that every resident has the right to join, leave, or abstain from any church or religious community.
The Austrian government generally respects this right in practice, and there are 16 legally recognized religious societies in the country. These include Christian churches, such as the Roman Catholic Church, various Protestant confessions, and Orthodox churches; as well as other religious groups like Jehovah's Witnesses, Jews, and Muslims.
However, it is important to note that some religious groups have faced discrimination and legal challenges in Austria. For example, the Jehovah's Witnesses have had to go to court to fight for their rights, and there have been instances of anti-Islamic and anti-Semitic sentiment in the country. Nonetheless, Austria has been actively working to promote religious freedom and protect religious minorities, both domestically and internationally.
Austria has taken a leading role in addressing religious freedom and minority protection within the European Union and the United Nations. They have established dialogue platforms, such as the interreligious dialogue platform and the King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz International Centre for Intercultural and Interreligious Dialogue (KAICIID), to promote freedom of religion and combat discrimination. Additionally, Austria has raised awareness about the situation of religious minorities and initiated discussions on strengthening international protection mechanisms.
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Catholicism is the largest religion
The history of Catholicism in Austria dates back to the time when the western part of the country was part of the Roman Empire. The first evidence of the existence of the religion in the region dates back to 174 AD, and by the 3rd century, Christianity had spread throughout Western Austria. The Bavarian rulers of the time contributed to the spread of Christianity by building many dioceses and monasteries in the west of the country during the 7th century. The first churches and monasteries in Eastern Austria were built in the 8th and 9th centuries.
In the 16th century, almost half of the Austrian population converted to Lutheranism during the Protestant Reformation, and a minority endorsed Calvinism. However, in 1545, the Habsburgs began a Counter-Reformation that successfully restored Catholicism as the dominant religion. The Habsburgs viewed themselves as the vanguard of Catholicism and repressed all other Christian confessions and religions. This period saw the construction of numerous Catholic shrines, cathedrals, and monasteries throughout Austria.
In the 18th century, Emperor Joseph II issued a Patent of Tolerance, allowing limited freedom of worship for confessions other than Catholicism. This was followed by the declaration of religious freedom as a constitutional right in Cisleithania in 1867. Despite this, Catholicism remained the predominant religion, and the Austrian state continued to have a close relationship with the Catholic Church, as evidenced by the Concordat of 1933.
In recent years, immigration from countries such as Turkey, the former Yugoslavia, and the Balkans has led to an increase in the number of Muslims and Serbian Orthodox Christians in Austria. Additionally, there has been a growth of Pagan movements, similar to trends in other European countries. Despite these changes, Catholicism remains the largest religion in Austria, shaping the cultural and religious landscape of the country.
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Islam is the third-largest religion
Austria is a country with a rich religious history and diversity. While Catholicism is the dominant religion, Islam is the third-largest religion in Austria, with a growing Muslim population over the years. In 1904, the first Muslim association in Austria, the "Islamite Academic Association 'Zvijezda'', was established by Bosnian Muslim students in Vienna. This was followed by the establishment of the "Association of Progressive Islamite Academic Youth 'Svijest'" in 1907. These associations advocated for the recognition of Islam in Austria, which was officially granted in 1912 with the Islam Act. However, after World War I, only a small number of Muslims remained in the newly formed First Austrian Republic.
Substantial Muslim immigration to Austria began in the 1960s with the arrival of Gastarbeiter from Yugoslavia and Turkey. Additionally, many Muslim refugees from the Yugoslav Wars sought refuge in Austria during the 1990s. As a result, the "Community of Muslim Believers in Austria" was organized in 1979 according to the Islamgesetz. The Austrian Muslim community has established various faith and interfaith associations, such as the Orientbund and the Islamischer Kulturbund, which was set up by Egyptian-born doctor and activist Dr Zaki Ali, pan-Arabic activist and businessman Mohammed Ali Binni, and Baron Omar Rolf von Ehrenfels, a convert to Islam.
The Islamic Community in Vienna, initially established as the Islamic Parish in Vienna in 1942, faced challenges due to friction with local Nazi authorities and underwent a name change. Despite its formal dissolution in 1948, it continued its activities in other regions and was reestablished under the protection of the U.S. Military Administration in Austria, providing religious care for Muslim displaced persons.
According to the census data between 1971 and 2021, Islam grew significantly in Austria, increasing from 0.2% to 8.3% of the population. This growth has had a significant impact on Austrian society and culture. However, it has also faced challenges, with rising anti-Muslim sentiment and political campaigns targeting Muslims and Islamic culture. Despite these challenges, Austria has a history of legally recognizing religious communities, and Islam has been recognized as a religious society in the country since 1912.
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Judaism has faced an uncertain fate
The history of Judaism in Austria is a long and tumultuous one, with the presence of Jews in the country dating back to the 3rd century CE. Over the centuries, Austrian Jews have experienced both prosperity and severe persecution, with their fate often linked to the political and religious climate of the time.
In the 12th century, two synagogues existed in Vienna, and Jewish settlement in the city increased with the arrival of settlers from Bavaria and the Rhineland. The construction of the first documented synagogue in Austria took place in 1204, marking a period of religious freedom and relative prosperity for the Jewish community. Vienna became a centre for Jewish scholarly endeavours, with a prominent school of Talmudic studies attracting learned rabbis and their families. However, this period of prosperity was short-lived. In 1282, the area came under the control of the Catholic House of Habsburg, which ushered in a highly anti-Semitic atmosphere.
The status of the Jewish community in Austria fluctuated over the following centuries, with periods of relative tolerance interspersed with persecution, deportations, and pogroms. In the 17th century, during the reign of Leopold I, Jews were frequently persecuted and deported from many areas, including Vienna in 1670. They were also subjected to discriminatory laws aimed at curbing their population growth. Despite this, there were some notable Jews in Leopold's court, such as his economic advisor, Samson Wertheimer.
The early 20th century saw a significant Jewish population in Austria, with around 200,000 Jews living in the country in 1938, mainly in Vienna. However, the annexation of Austria by Nazi Germany in the same year marked the beginning of a dark chapter in the history of Austrian Judaism. The Nazis and their followers embarked on a rapid expropriation of Jewish property, accompanied by extreme intimidation and violence towards Jewish people. The Holocaust resulted in the murder of 65,000 Jewish Austrians and the emigration of 130,000 more, decimating the Jewish community in Austria.
Today, Judaism in Austria continues to face challenges, with the majority of the current Jewish population being post-war immigrants, particularly from Eastern Europe and Central Asia. Efforts to promote Jewish life and break down barriers between Jewish and non-Jewish communities are ongoing, with organisations like the Austrian Union of Jewish Students playing an active role.
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Secularism is on the rise
Austria has a long history of Roman Catholicism, which remains the predominant religion in the country. However, there has been a notable rise in secularism and a decline in religious influence on politics and daily life in recent years.
Austria guarantees freedom of religion as a statutory right, with a long history of religious tolerance. The country has a two-tier system of legally recognized churches and religious communities, with 16 recognized groups and 10 state-registered confessional communities. These include Roman Catholicism, Protestantism, Orthodox Christianity, Judaism, and Islam. The Austrian government is secular, and the legal system is neutral, allowing citizens the right to abstain from religious activities or identify with any religion. This has contributed to the rise of secularism and the decline of Christianity in the country.
Between the censuses of 1971 and 2021, Christianity in Austria declined from 93.8% to 68.2% of the population. During the same period, the proportion of people with no religious affiliation grew from 4.3% to 22.4%. The atheist population in Austria currently stands at approximately 12%. This trend is influenced by various factors, including church taxation and the right to freedom of religion guaranteed by the legal system.
The growth of secularism in Austria is also reflected in the decline of religious influence on politics. After World War II, a stricter form of secularism was imposed, reducing the influence of the Catholic Church on political matters. While Catholicism remains the largest religion, it has experienced a decline, with the number of Catholics decreasing from 87.4% to 55.2% between 1971 and 2021.
In addition to the rise of secularism, there has been an increase in religious diversity in Austria. Immigration, particularly from countries like Turkey, Bosnia-Herzegovina, and the former Yugoslavia, has led to a growing Muslim population, which has more than doubled since 1991 and currently stands at 4.2% of the population. There has also been an increase in Serbian Orthodox Christians, and a spread of Pagan movements, similar to trends in other European countries.
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Frequently asked questions
The most common religion in Austria is Christianity, specifically Roman Catholicism. In 2021, 55.2% of the population identified as Roman Catholic, down from 64.1% in 2011 and 73.8% in 2001.
Other religions in Austria include Islam, Orthodox Christianity, Evangelical Christianity, Judaism, Buddhism, and Paganism.
Yes, freedom of religion is guaranteed in the Austrian constitution. The country has a high tolerance for religious freedom, with legislation based on secularism.
