ABSTRACT
A first important insight is that the relativism of truth and the assumption of the fundamental equality of religions have prevailed in the me-society. Only about 5 per cent of our respondents think that there is truth in only one religion. The claims to truth of Christianity, which once motivated early crusades, inquisitions and decade-long wars, and which still apply at least officially in the Catholic Church are no longer accepted. The assumption of a fundamental equality of religions and truth relativism have a very important consequence: namely, individuals begin to evaluate religion itself' as good or bad in comparison to other social phenomena and institutions. In a context of plurality, the image that is, the evaluative perception of religions and religious communities, becomes ever more important. A positive image and the prestige of religion or religious community is an important resource for such communities, while negative image can greatly impede their activity and lead to discrimination against their members.
