Very few Czech citizens (8%) go to church regularly – if we take regular to mean at least once a month. Nonetheless, greater numbers go to church during the Christmas period, many of whom consider themselves not to be religious. Indeed, going to church is a Christmas tradition for almost two-fifths of citizens (39%). A third of Czech citizens (35 %) say they believe in God.
This survey was conducted by the STEM non-profit institute (www.stem.cz) on a representative sample of the Czech population aged 18 and over from 30 November to 12 December 2016. Respondents were selected using a quota sampling method, with some 1,020 people taking part in the survey.
For more than twenty years, STEM has been traditionally asking Czech citizens in the December survey whether they believe in God. This year’s survey found that over one-third of the population believes in God (35 %). In the years since STEM started conducting its surveys there has been a moderate decline in the proportion of people who are religious. This decline continued right up to 2012 (in 1995 some 39 % of respondents said they believed in God, in 2012 the proportion had fallen to 30%). After that, there was an increase in the proportion of citizens who said they were religious.
Since 2011 we have found the proportion of those who definitely do not believe in God to be somewhat higher (now at 41 %).
One-third of respondents said they had a religious family upbringing. This proportion is also somewhat lower than it was in the mid-nineties. Indeed, since 2009 there has been a slight decline in the number of people proclaiming to be from religious families.
Faith and religious upbringing
Source: STEM, Trends 12/2016, 1020 respondents aged 18+
Source: STEM, Trends 1995-2016
There is a very strong link between religious faith and coming from a religious family, although this connection is by no means unequivocal. One-quarter of citizens believe in God and also come from a religious family, yet one-tenth believe in God, although their family has no relationship with religion. On the other hand, one-tenth of respondents do not believe in God, despite being from religious families.
The proportion of people who believe in God is higher among women (38 %) than men (31 %), substantially higher among the over-60s (45 %) and also among those from the Moravian regions (46 %, compared to 28 % of citizens from the Bohemian regions).
“Do you personally believe in God?”
By age
Source: STEM, Trends 12/2016, 1020 respondents aged 18+
The proportion of citizens who practice their religion is much lower than the proportion of those who believe in God. Just under one-tenth of the population goes to church regularly, at least once a month, with another tenth going several times a year. These proportions have remained very stable in recent years.
“How often do you attend church?”
Source: STEM, Trends 1994-2016
In its pre-Christmas December survey, STEM also asked people whether going to church was one of their Christmas traditions. Almost two-fifths of citizens (39%) said that going to church was one of their Christmas traditions. This is a somewhat lower percentage compared to previous surveys (for instance in 1995 some 45 % of respondents answered in the affirmative).
“Is going to church a Christmas tradition in your family?”
Source: STEM, Trends 12/2016, 1020 respondents aged 18+
The majority of people who attend church at Christmas believe in God, but going to church at Christmas is also a tradition for almost one-third of families who only somewhat believe in God and even for some who are definitely not religious at all.
“Is going to church a Christmas tradition in your family?”
Depending on whether the respondent believes in God
Source: STEM, Trends 12/2016, 1020 respondents aged 18+