Is God really dead?

This is the first of two articles on the topic of faith in our time. In the second article, experts including the philosopher Dietmar Heidemann and the Vicar General of Luxembourg, Patrick Muller, will give us an insight into the current development of faith.

Churches are losing more and more influence in Western Europe today. Statistics show that the number of non-denominational people is growing and belief in "one God" is less widespread. For more than three quarters of Luxembourgers, religion is no longer important. Was Friedrich Nietzsche right when he claimed that God is dead? 51 per cent of the population consider themselves non-religious. However, as faith is historically deeply rooted in our culture, it is impossible to imagine society without it. This is particularly evident in the example of the Octave, one of Luxembourg's most important religious events. For a fortnight in April or May, countless believers from Luxembourg and the Greater Region make a daily pilgrimage to the capital to honour the Virgin Mary. So is religion really dead?

We met with various believers to discuss how they found their faith, what their daily lives are like and how they imagine the future of religion in our rationalised world.

Growing up in a religious environment

If you grow up in a religious environment, you are more likely to find faith. 18-year-old law student Aymane Benhayoun grew up in a Muslim family. As a child, he attended religious courses to familiarise himself with Islam and read the Koran: "As a small child, I was perhaps still too young to understand everything and to feel God. But now I know that Islam is the right religion for me. I feel a great love for my faith."