Editing Finland (section)

=== Religion ===
{{Main|Religion in Finland}}
{{Pie chart
|thumb = right
|caption = Registered members of religions groups in Finland by the Statistics Finland (2024)<ref name="statistics-finland-population-2024-final"/>
|label1 = Evangelical Lutheran Church of Finland
|value1 = 62.2
| color1 = #4575b4 
|label2 = Orthodox Church
|value2 = 1.0
| color2 = #91bfdb
|label3 = Other Christian
|value3 = 1.0
| color3 = #e0f3f8
|label4 = Other religions
|value4 = 0.9
| color4 = #1b7837
|label5 = Unaffiliated
|value5 = 34.9
| color5 = #fff
}}

With 3.5&nbsp;million members,<ref>[https://www.kirkontilastot.fi/viz.php?id=271 Jäsentilasto 2024] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240429170934/https://www.kirkontilastot.fi/viz.php?id=271 |date=29 April 2024 }} Evangelical Lutheran Church of Finland</ref> the [[Evangelical Lutheran Church of Finland]] is Finland's largest religious body; {{As of|2024}}, 62.2% of Finns were members of the church.<ref name="statistics-finland-population-2024-final"/> The Evangelical Lutheran Church of Finland has seen its share of the country's population declining by roughly one percent annually in recent years. The decline has been due to both church membership resignations and falling baptism rates.<ref>[http://eroakirkosta.fi/media/none/tiedote_13_2015.html?year=2015 Eroakirkosta.fi – Kirkosta eronnut tänä vuonna 40 000 ihmistä] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160731065845/http://eroakirkosta.fi/media/none/tiedote_13_2015.html?year=2015 |date=31 July 2016 }} {{in lang|fi}}.</ref><ref>[http://www.karjalainen.fi/uutiset/uutis-alueet/kotimaa/item/108142-kastettujen-maara-romahtanut-kirkollisista-ristiaisista-luopuu-yha-useampi ''Karjalainen – Kastettujen määrä romahtanut – kirkollisista ristiäisistä luopuu yhä useampi''] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180816230621/https://www.karjalainen.fi/uutiset/uutis-alueet/kotimaa/item/108142-kastettujen-maara-romahtanut-kirkollisista-ristiaisista-luopuu-yha-useampi |date=16 August 2018 }} 13 June 2016 {{in lang|fi}}.</ref> The second largest group, accounting for 26.3% of the population<ref name="relig_stat">[http://tilastokeskus.fi/tup/suoluk/suoluk_vaesto_en.html#structure Population structure] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171018134205/http://www.tilastokeskus.fi/tup/suoluk/suoluk_vaesto_en.html#structure |date=18 October 2017 }} Statistics Finland</ref> in 2017, has no religious affiliation. A small minority belongs to the [[Finnish Orthodox Church]] (1.1%). Other [[Protestant]] denominations and the [[Catholic Church in Finland|Roman Catholic Church]] are significantly smaller, as are the [[History of the Jews in Finland|Jewish]] and other non-Christian communities (totalling 1.6%). The [[Pew Research Center]] estimated the [[Islam in Finland|Muslim]] population at 2.7% in 2016.<ref>{{cite web|title=Muslim Population Growth in Europe|url=http://www.pewforum.org/2017/11/29/europes-growing-muslim-population/|website=pewforum.org|date=29 November 2017|access-date=28 September 2018|archive-date=1 December 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171201133210/http://www.pewforum.org/2017/11/29/europes-growing-muslim-population/|url-status=live}}</ref>

Finland's state church was the Church of Sweden until 1809. As an autonomous Grand Duchy under Russia from 1809 to 1917, Finland retained the Lutheran State Church system, and the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Finland was established. After Finland had gained independence in 1917, religious freedom was declared in the constitution of 1919, and a separate law on religious freedom in 1922. Through this arrangement, the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Finland gained a constitutional status as a national church alongside the Finnish Orthodox Church, whose position however is not codified in the constitution. The main Lutheran and Orthodox churches have special roles such as in state ceremonies and schools.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://finland.fi/Public/default.aspx?contentid=160099&nodeid=41800&culture=en-US |title=The Church in Finland today |first=Salla |last=Korpela |date=May 2005 |access-date=11 January 2011 |publisher=Finland Promotion Board; Produced by the Ministry for Foreign Affairs, Department for Communications and Culture |archive-date=10 September 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150910195729/http://finland.fi/Public/default.aspx?contentid=160099&nodeid=41800&culture=en-US |url-status=live }}</ref>

In 2016, 69.3% of Finnish children were [[Baptism|baptized]],<ref>[http://sakasti.evl.fi/sakasti.nsf/0/FFEDB75916EB394AC22576CC003D875E/$FILE/Vaestonmuutokset_koko%20kirkko_2016.xlsx Lutheran church member statistics (2016)] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181215122035/http://sakasti.evl.fi/sakasti.nsf/0/FFEDB75916EB394AC22576CC003D875E/$FILE/Vaestonmuutokset_koko%20kirkko_2016.xlsx |date=15 December 2018 }} evl.fi</ref> but by 2019, this figure had declined to around 62% <ref>{{Cite web |title=Helsinki leads trend to bypass baptism |url=https://yle.fi/a/3-1136695 |access-date=28 March 2025 |website=yle.fi}}</ref> and 82.3% were [[Confirmation (Lutheran Church)|confirmed]] in 2012 at the age of 15,<ref>[http://sakasti.evl.fi/sakasti.nsf/0/8A75CE045AD09FE4C22577AE00256611/$FILE/KKH_Tilastollinen_vuosikirja2012_toiminta_lopullinen%20versio.pdf Church statistical yesrbook 2012] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140320170001/http://sakasti.evl.fi/sakasti.nsf/0/8A75CE045AD09FE4C22577AE00256611/$FILE/KKH_Tilastollinen_vuosikirja2012_toiminta_lopullinen%20versio.pdf |date=20 March 2014 }} The Evangelical Lutheran Church of Finland</ref> and over 90% of the funerals are Christian. However, the majority of Lutherans attend church only for special occasions like Christmas ceremonies, weddings, and funerals. The Lutheran Church estimates that approximately 1.8% of its members attend church services weekly.<ref>[http://yle.fi/uutiset/church_attendance_falls_religion_seen_as_private/5539349 Church Attendance Falls; Religion Seen as Private] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160418102934/http://yle.fi/uutiset/church_attendance_falls_religion_seen_as_private/5539349 |date=18 April 2016 }} 3 June 2012 YLE</ref> The average number of church visits per year by church members is approximately two.<ref name="state2004">{{cite web |url=https://2001-2009.state.gov/g/drl/rls/irf/2004/35453.htm |title=International Religious Freedom Report 2004 |work=[[United States Department of State|U.S. Department of State]] |date=15 September 2004 |access-date=22 January 2007 |archive-date=17 December 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191217170039/https://2001-2009.state.gov/g/drl/rls/irf/2004/35453.htm |url-status=live }}</ref>

According to a 2010 [[Eurobarometer]] poll, 33% of Finnish citizens responded that they "believe there is a God"; 42% answered that they "believe there is some sort of spirit or life force"; and 22% that they "do not believe there is any sort of spirit, God, or life force".<ref name="EUROBAROMETER">{{cite web |url=http://ec.europa.eu/public_opinion/archives/ebs/ebs_341_en.pdf |title=Special Eurobarometer Biotechnology |page=204 |edition=Fieldwork: January–February 2010 |date=October 2010 |access-date=16 October 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101215001129/http://ec.europa.eu/public_opinion/archives/ebs/ebs_341_en.pdf |archive-date=15 December 2010 }}</ref> According to ISSP survey data (2008), 8% consider themselves "highly religious", and 31% "moderately religious". In the same survey, 28% reported themselves as "agnostic" and 29% as "non-religious".<ref>Kimmo, Ketola et al. (2011). [http://tampub.uta.fi/bitstream/handle/10024/65683/uskonto_suomalaisten_elamassa_2011.pdf?sequence=1 Uskonto suomalaisten elämässä] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180916015652/http://tampub.uta.fi/bitstream/handle/10024/65683/uskonto_suomalaisten_elamassa_2011.pdf?sequence=1 |date=16 September 2018 }}. Tampereen yliopistopaino Oy . {{ISBN|978-951-44-8483-4}}</ref>