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.

“The trend is similar, although less clear, in terms of level of education: 27% of people with a higher education describe themselves as evangelical, compared with 34% of individuals with shorter training”.

Most identify with evangelical church groups

Compared to a similar study carried out by the IFOP in 2010, the 2024 data shows a “progression of evangelical denomination and a decrease in Lutheran-Reformed denomination”.

Whereas fifteen years ago “56% of respondents had indicated either ‘Reformed’ (37%) or ‘Lutheran’ (19%), this was the case for only 38% of respondents in 2024 (‘Reformed’ 25%, ‘Lutheran’ 13%)”.

The drop among the ‘historical Protestantism’ is “considerable, at 18 points”.

A growing “evangelical dynamic”

Researchers Fath and Willaime speak of an growing “evangelical dynamic”. While the 'evangelical' response already grew from 23% to 33% between 2010 and 2024, the ‘Pentecostal’ response in these surveys more than doubled, rising from 5% to 13%.

“These two answers together accounted for 28% in 2010 and 46% in 2024. If we add ‘Baptist’ (7%) and ‘charismatic’ (5%), we get 58% for the ‘evangelical’ pole”.

In other words, “with 58%, evangelical Protestants have therefore become the clear majority in French Protestantism”.

The authors place the growing strength of free evangelical Christians in the context of a loss of power and cultural transmission of religious institutions in general terms.

“In our secularised society where the dominant norm is not to have a religion, having a religion and practising it has become a non-conformist act of personal choice”, they write. “The evangelisation of Christianity is leading to a deconfessionalisation in relation to inherited denominational traditions”.

Youngest more committed

The Protestant Christians in France who practise their faith most are under the age of 35, shows the IFOP service. One in two (49%) attend a worship service at least once a month, compared with 27% of those aged 35 and over (including 18% every week).

But the data also shows that while in 2010, 38% went to church every week, only 28% do so now.

What is a change is that “14% of respondents of all ages say they participate ‘several times a month’ in remote meetings via the internet, and 11% do so once a month”.

Most converts still come from Catholic families

Conversions continue to be a key element to Protestant and evangelical Christian in France.

“Without this contribution of conversions from non-Protestant backgrounds, the Protestant perimeter would have shrunk, especially since there are signs of internal secularisation within this population”, write the researchers, underlining that “33% of those surveyed in December 2024 stated that they ‘never’ read the Bible. This figure was only 24% in 2010”.

There are more Protestants now in France that do not come from Protestant families (25%) than in 2010 (21%).

“This influx of converts from non-Protestant backgrounds illustrates, on the one hand, the evangelisation of Protestantism, characterised by an emphasis on identity through conversion. You are not born a Protestant, you become one”, say Fath and Willaime.

“But on the other hand, it also confirms the general attractiveness of a Christian identity considered likely to lend credibility to Christianity in a secular society”, they add.

“Catholicism seems, more than ever, to be the main breeding ground for conversions to Protestantism in France in 2025. 31% of those surveyed said that they had a Catholic father and mother. And when converts were asked what their religion was before becoming Protestant, 72% answered ‘Catholic’. In 2010, 59% responded in the same way, but in 15 years, there has been an increase of 13 points”.

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