Most people in Belgium do not belong to a religion. Christianity is the largest religion, with the Catholic Church representing the largest community, though it has experienced a significant decline since the 1950s (when it was the nominal religion of over 80% of the population). Belgium's policy separates the state from the churches, and freedom of religion is guaranteed by the country's constitution.
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Christianity in Belgium in the context of Christianity in Europe
Christianity is the predominant religion in Europe. Christianity has been practiced in Europe since the first century, and a number of the Pauline Epistles were addressed to Christians living in Greece, as well as other parts of the Roman Empire.
According to a 2010 study by the Pew Research Center, 76.2% of the European population identified themselves as Christians.
Christianity in Belgium in the context of Christianity in Albania
Christianity in Albania began when Christians arrived in Illyria soon after the time of Jesus, with a bishop being appointed in Dyrrhachium (Epidamnus) in 58 AD.
When the Roman Empire was divided in 395 AD, modern Albania became part of the Byzantine Empire, but was under the jurisdiction of the Pope until 732, when Emperor Leo III placed the church under the Patriarch of Constantinople. When the Christian church split in 1054, the north followed Rome while the south of the country stayed with Constantinople.
Christianity in Belgium in the context of Christianity in Kosovo
Christianity in Kosovo has a long-standing tradition dating to the Roman Empire. The entire Balkan region had been Christianized by the Roman, Byzantine, First Bulgarian Empire, Serbian Kingdom, Second Bulgarian Empire, and Serbian Empire till 13th century. After the Battle of Kosovo in 1389 until 1912, Kosovo was part of the Muslim Ottoman Empire, and a high level of Islamization occurred. During the time period after World War II, Kosovo was ruled by secular socialist authorities in the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (SFRY). During that period, Kosovars became increasingly secularized. Today, 87% of Kosovo's population are from Muslim family backgrounds, most of whom are ethnic Albanians, but also including Slavic speakers (who mostly identify themselves as Gorani or Bosniaks) and Turks.
Christianity in Belgium in the context of Islam in Belgium
Islam is the second-largest religion in Belgium, after Christianity. The exact number of Muslims in Belgium is unknown but various sources estimate that 4.0% to 7.6% of the country's population adheres to Islam. The first registered presence of Islam in Belgium was in 1829, but most Belgian Muslims are first-, second-, or third-generation immigrants that arrived after the 1960s.