The case

Three million people do not belong to any church – a heterogeneous group of militant atheists, esoterics and the religiously indifferent.

Source: ​Simon Hehli, e-paper from 10.02.2024 / NZZ – and bsf 

The commentary

Something epochal has happened in Switzerland, writes Simon Hehli: the non-denominational have overtaken Catholics to become the largest religious sociological group in the country. Today, one in three people over the age of 15 belong to this group. This was recently announced by the Federal Statistical Office. More than three million people no longer belong to a church.

It is not so easy to characterise the non-denominational beyond socio-demographic attributions. This is also due to the fact that research to date has posed the questions too narrowly, says sociologist Robert Schäfer from the University of Basel. “We asked people how they feel about Christianity, how often they go to church, how often they pray. And so we found out what they no longer do. But what they do, what interests them – we know little about that.”

The interface between religion and investment has also not yet been investigated. This is also confirmed by Roman Catholic theology professor and Islam specialist Stephan Leimgruber in Lucerne.

There is no research on the investment behaviour of the various religions and denominations. We know what certain denominational groups are not allowed to do. However, the possible differences in performance have never been empirically analysed. Investigating and perhaps bridging the gap between spirituality and investment remains a goal: according to Leimgruber, there is a deep connection between the two areas, based on the common pursuit of a “higher purpose and higher meaning”. He emphasises that Christian and Islamic religions worship a single God and have at least three pillars in common, but vary in religious practice: Prayer, fasting and almsgiving. This synergy is particularly evident in the area of charity investing, where individuals or groups seek not only financial returns, but also alignment with their deeper values and beliefs.

This publication has been prepared solely for information purposes and is does not constitute a recommendation, a solicitation, or an offer. The information on which this publication is based has been obtained from sources that we believe to be reliable and in good faith, but we have not independently verified such information and no representation or warranty, express or implied, is made as to its accuracy. All expressions of opinion are made as of the date of publication and may be subject to change without notice. k-flash and all related affiliates accepts no liability or responsibility whatsoever for any consequential loss of any kind arising out of the use of this publication or any part of its contents. The use of this publication should not be regarded as a substitute for the exercise by the recipient of his or her own judgment. This publication is not directed to any person in any jurisdictions that prohibit such publication.