ABSTRACT
A number of statements in the Francis-Kay survey test altruistic attitudes, showing clear differences between the three groups of: weekly churchgoers; occasional churchgoers; and non-churchgoers. The young churchgoers also seem to have a stronger sense of moral order. The two sets of European Value System Study Group (EVSSG) surveys in the early 1980s and 1990s also both noted a number of significant differences between adult churchgoers and non-churchgoers across Europe. In the 1980s across Europe 19 per cent of the whole sample was involved in voluntary work of one sort or another. Among non-churchgoing Catholics this level dropped to 12 per cent, rising to 28 per cent among weekly churchgoing Catholics. Membership of a social group or a sports group is negatively associated with membership of a religious group. Theological factors also seem to have influenced churches in the 2005 English Church Census.
