A survey of religious attitudes and behaviour in Ireland has found the Irish are still deeply religious - but on their own terms.
The survey, conducted in 1998 under the direction of the International Social Survey Program, found that while there had been "a particularly precipitous" drop of confidence in religious leaders since 1991, a great majority, especially the young, had high levels of confidence in their local priest.
Indeed, confidence in him was highest, at over 70 per cent, in the 18 to 28 age group, the youngest category of those surveyed.
The survey's findings were presented at a press conference in Dublin yesterday by Father Andrew Greeley, professor of sociology at the University of Chicago and the University of Arizona, and Father Conor Ward, professor emeritus of social science at UCD.
The findings, with commentaries, are published in the current issue of Doctrine & Life magazine. Writing in the magazine, both professors concluded from the survey that "if attitudes to sex and to authority are important indicators of Christianity, then religion among the Irish is in decline. If acceptance of core teachings is the ultimate test of the survival of religion in Ireland, then the Irish continue to be deeply religious".
"My personal impression (from the survey) is the Irish are incorrigibly and irredeemably Catholic," said Father Greeley yesterday.
Since a similar survey in 1991 attitudes to sexual behaviour have shown a continued drift from traditional teaching, coupled with "a dramatic decline" of confidence in the churches and religious organisations.
It was found that young people were generally closer to the views of their grandparents than to those of their parents, where religion was concerned. Father Greeley expressed himself "astonished" that the young Irish were "so profoundly Catholic, but on their own terms".
He felt that if the church leadership kept that in mind "they can face the future with a lot less hand-wringing".
Among all age groups those with a "great deal" of confidence in the churches fell from 45 per cent in 1991 to 28 per cent in 1998, with those believing the churches had too much power increasing from 38 per cent to 46 per cent. Those who disapproved of religious leaders trying to influence voting increased from 26 per cent to 43 per cent, while 39 per cent disapproved of such leaders trying to influence government, a rise of 17 per cent.
The number of those with no religious affiliation rose from 2 to 6 per cent over the seven-year period. However, belief in God (94 per cent), life after death (78 per cent), heaven (85 per cent), and miracles (71 per cent), weekly church attendance (63 per cent) dropped by just 2 per cent each.
There were significant decreases in those who believed premarital (30 per cent, a drop of 6 per cent), extramarital (63 per cent, down 8 per cent) and same-sex relations (60 per cent, a drop of 8 per cent) were always wrong.
Irish women born since 1970 had the highest level of confidence of all in the local priest, with young men born since 1970 virtually tying with men born before 1929 in their confidence in the local priest.
