Religions in Switzerland 1

Classical Christian denominationsThe traditional religion of Switzerland as a Central European country to Christianity. The Reformation, many Swiss reformer, preaching the new interpretation of the Christian faith: Ulrich Zwingli and Heinrich's successor [Henry Bull Inger Zurich (1523) and Switzerland, northern, Johannes Oekolampadius Basel, Guillaume Farel Switzerland Western (1526) and finally Geneva, John Calvin (1536). While in Zwingli was by far the most influential reformers in Switzerland, Calvin will surely more familiar with abroad.

Religious conflicts and civil wars (1529-1712)Separation of the Reformation in Switzerland in two blocks: while big free cities in northern and western Switzerland (Zurich, Basel, Bern, Geneva, Schaffhausen, St. Gallen), there will be a new religion, and forced the subjects to do the same, the more rural Central switzerland, including for capital intimate Luzern Catholic remained. Four civil wars fought in Switzerland because of religious disputes in 1529, 1531 (Zwingli died on the battlefield of Kappel), 1556 and again in 1712.

Internal migration and coexistenceCatholic Migration Protestant townsThe industrialization of Switzerland in the beginning of the 19th century has led to considerable internal migration in the Catholic rural areas of industrial cities (mainly in Zurich, Basel, Winterthur, Lausanne, Geneva). Massive influx of Catholic southern Europe (Italy, Spain, Portugal), as the economic boom after the Second World War, this trend is growing, so the first Protestant urban areas in northern and western Switzerland, is a mixed population is now nearly equal numbers Protestants and Catholics.Protestant Catholic Migration of rural areas.

On the other hand, the trend of the twentieth century to live in the suburbs leads to migration (mainly Protestant) middle-class families in urban areas to rural areas traditionally Catholic northern Switzerland), Central Switzerland, including the Reformed churches were established there.Jewish CommunityReligion belongs to the Jewish community existed in Switzerland about 2000 years old but has always been a small Jewish minority. During all these centuries, imposed stringent restrictions on occupations and residence of the Jews (as in most other European countries). Only in 1866 Jewish citizens were given full right to, to settle anywhere in Switzerland, and that have any profession.

On the other religions in SwitzerlandBuddhism in SwitzerlandBuddhism came to Tibet refugees in Switzerland in 1959, Switzerland was the only European country that granted asylum to 1,000 Tibetan refugees. Tibetians preserved Buddhist religious traditions, the community has grown around 2,000 people over the years and today there is a Buddhist monastery in Switzerland. Only very few local Buddhists Swiss people have recognized, however. The number of refugees in the Buddhist is quite small, and they practiced their religion in private homes. Thus, most people still do not belong to the religion of Buddhism in Switzerland, you know very little about.Islam: Muslims in Switzerland.

In the 1970s there was hardly Muslims in Switzerland. But since then, immigration, Turkey, Bosnia, Albania, Kosovo and North Africa have increased, and now we have seen Islamic community. Muslims have become the third largest religion, and has exceeded three of the five traditional religions (Protestant and Catholic dissidents and Jews).