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Map of the religious
affiliations of European cultures
by James Mayfield (Chairman, European Heritage Library)
 Print
this Article About
the Author Bibliography/Sources
Below is a map the EHL has
published charting the major religious heritage of the European
continent. As with ethnic heritage, religion is a cultural
keystone that defines the identity of European societies.
As in studying our other ethno-cartographic maps, studying
the below map will gain a better understanding of European
cultural heritage and the impact they have upon the world.
If you have any questions about why certain countries and
peoples practice a certain faith, etc., notify us.
Mapping Information &
Extra Notes:
Despite the fact that religion
is rapidly approaching death altogether in the West (the United
States and Europe), it is undeniable that religion has played
a tremendous role in shaping the historical, cultural, political,
and even linguistic evolution of all European societies. Even
non-religious individuals and peoples in Europe proudly acknowledge
their religious heritage, as seen in the proud lionization
of each country's distinct religious architecture in the name
of Protestantism or Catholicism. This map is also important
to understand the role of Islam in Europe and European cultures,
however nominal it is even among the Albanians and Bosniaks
(Europe's two most Muslim-populous states). From the map,
one can infer the impact various conquering empires have injected
into various European cultures, such as the Ottoman Turkish
conquest in the Balkans or the Catholic effort to crush Protestantism.
Note that naturally, the colouring on this map refers to the
dominant religious heritage of that region or country. Colours
extending beyond national borders is intentional, such as
Germany having both Catholic and Protestant colours.
Although the Netherlands,
like most countries in Europe and also the United States,
is overall secular, statistics typically indicate that the
largest single church is Catholic, despite the fact that Protestantism
has been the prime mover of Dutch history.
Click here
to view our History of Christianization of Europe Map.
Click the below map
for the full-size version! Click on the map to zoom.
If an error has been made,
please notify the EHL Staff.
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ABOUT
THE AUTHOR:
James Mayfield is a historian
and the Chairman of the European Heritage Library. I have
a Cum Laude BA in History with a Minor in Germanic Studies
(language and history), am presently working for my Masters
in History, and plan to immediately progress to my PhD Doctorate.
I have a special academic interest in Europe's diverse ethnic
identities, languages, and cultures, and the political struggles
of native European and immigrant minority identities. See
my staff entry for more information.
BIBLIOGRAPHY/SOURCES
USED:
The image used as the basis
of this map is not protected under copyright.
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