Geloof in Nederland: Katholiek-zijn vandaag

The recent edition of God in Nederland presents an intriguing image of contemporary Dutch Catholics. Both church membership, practice, and salience are in decline, while the appreciation for the cultural role of religion and national pride are on the rise. In particular for Catholics and unaffiliated believers Christianity tends to function as a civil religion. This aligns with a global trend, such the rise of White Christian nationalism in the United States. Gen Z, with slightly higher church membership rates than Gen Y, takes part in the rising positive appreciation of the social and political role of religion. Catholics are underrepresented in Dutch Gen Z but in countries such as France, the popularity of Catholicism among this generation is growing. There is anecdotal evidence for an increase of baptisms in the Netherlands as well, next to a growing popularity of Catholicism in online culture. This calls for further research.