From Evangelical Focus. (image: Unsplash)
New data collected by a IFOP (French Institute of Public Opinion) survey shows that most practising Protestants in France identify as evangelical Christians.
Two researchers into religious trends, Sébastien Fath and Jean-Paul Willaime, have examined the figures in detail, which show that more than half of Protestants (58%) could now be described as evangelical Christians, as they belong to churches that are not Reformed or Lutheran (these two are the historical currents of Protestantism in France).
Around 35% of Protestants surveyed prefered to describe themselves as “evangelical”.
“Among the under-35s, the majority described themselves as ‘evangelical’: 53%, with only 47% choosing the term ‘Protestant’”, describe the authors in their analysis of the IFOP survey.
“Conversely, among those aged 35 and over, 74% self-define as ‘Protestant’, with the term ‘Evangelical’ being used by only 26%”, they continue. “Could these figures reflect a generational divide between traditional expressions of piety and more modern forms?”, they ask.
Income and education
The data, collected in 2024 among 700 Protestants in France, shows that the socio-economic status has an impact on the religious affiliation of respondents. “Only 15% of those with the highest incomes opt for the term ‘evangelical’, compared with 46% of those with the lowest incomes”, write Fath and Willaime.