RELIGIOUS BELIEFS AND EXPERIENCES OF PROTESTANT CHRISTIAN IMMIGRANTS IN FINLAND: AN INTEGRATING OR ALIENATING EXPERIENCE?
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.47672/ejpcr.495Keywords:
Immigration, Protestant Christianity, social integrationAbstract
The contemporary Finland is more culturally diverse than previous years thanks to increased international migration. A large number of immigrants entering Finland today are religious in one way or another. This article is a case study of religious beliefs and experiences of protestant Christian immigrants in Finland with the aim of finding out the personal feelings of immigrants towards the Finnish society. A comparative analysis of Protestant Christian immigrants’ experiences in both the host country and country of origin was taken as a foundation for determining effects of the immigrants’ religious beliefs in Finland. This study takes a cross-cultural perspective in analyzing and evaluating the religious beliefs of immigrants. Even though religion is credited to have an upper hand in facilitating social integration of immigrants into host societies, this study found out that religious beliefs and experiences of protestant Christian immigrants in Finland can be integrating or alienating, depending on the degree of religiosity of the immigrants. An awareness of this observation as discussed in this article goes a long way in providing options to choose from in navigating the common problems faced by Protestant Christian immigrants in Finland.
Downloads
References
Adams, M & Osho, G. (2017). Impact of Race, Ethnicity, And immigration policy: A politico-Economic Perspective. Journal of Business & Economics Research. 5.10.19030/jbec.v5i6.2553.
Amunga, C.N. (2018). Society, Patriarchy and the church in the subjugation of the woman in worship: The case of trousers in Full gospel churches. Master’s thesis, department of Arts in Religion, Masinde Muliro University of Science and Technology.
Balabey, K. O. & Martynov, V. (2015). Lutheranism in Finland: Past and Present. Baltic Region.
Baloch, G & Chhachhar, A & Singutt, W. (2014). Influence of Religion on Life Style and Social Behavior in Christianity. Perspective of Malaysian Christian Students. Journal of Basic Applied and Scientific Research.4.
Broup, J & Allin, L. (2011). Religion and Cultural Integration. Nordic Journal of Migration.
Bunikowski, D. (2003). State, Law, Politics, and religion in Finland.
Carey, C & Katzenstein. (2009). Religion and immigrant settlement. Journal of sociology. 44. 7574-242.
Ebaugh, H.R. & Chafetz J.S. (2000). Religion and the New Immigrants: Continuities and Adaptation in Immigrant Congregations. Walnut Creek, CA: Altamira.
Fischer, C. & Hout. M. (2006). A Century of Difference: how America Changed in the Last One Hundred Years. New York, NY: Russel Sage Foundation.
Fleischmann, F & Phalet, K. (2018). Religion and national identification in Europe: comparing Muslim youth in Belgium, England, Germany, the Netherlands, and Sweden. Journal of Cross-Cultural Psychology, 49(1), 44-61.
Foner, N & Alba, R. (2008). Immigrant religion in the U.S. and Western Europe: Bridge or Barrier to Inclusion? Internatioal Migratio review.
Fox, J. (2012). Religion, Politics, Society, and the State.
Garcia, T & Shoshana, N. (2012). Is Religiosity of immigrants a Bridge or a Buffer in the Process of Integration? A comparative study of Europe and the United States. University of Granada. Discussion paper No. 6384.
Gearon, L. (2019). How and Why Education Counters Ideological Extremism in Finland.
Henderson, A. (2004). The settlement Experiences of Immigrants (Excluding Refugees) in New Zealanda: An overview paper completed for the Auckland Regional Settlement Strategy. international Pacific College, Palmerston North.
Herberg, W. (1960). Protestant, Catholic, Jew. New York, NY: Anchor Books.
Hirschman, C. (2004). “The Role of Religion in the Origins and Adaptation of Immigrant Groups in the United States.” International Migration Review 38:1206-1233.
Jouko, S. (2009). Religion and Secularization in Finland. European Journal of Sociology.
Kaarianen K. (2009). Religion in Finland and Russia in a Comparative perspective. In: Pickel G., Muller O. Ceds. Church and Religion in Contemporary Europe. Vis Verlag fur Sozialwissenshaften.
Koivukangas, O. (2003). European immigration and Integration: Finland. The challenges of immigration and integration in the European Union and Australia, 18-20. University of Sydney.
Kotiranta, M. (2010). Religion and the secular state of Finland. Finnish cultural studies. University of Edinburg.
Legel, T. M. (2006). The Introduction of Christianity into Scandinavia, Iceland, and Finland. Electronic theses and Dissertations. 810.
Lind, J. (2005). Denmark and early Christianity in Finland. Academia.edu
MacGregor, K. (2016). Reference article – Christianity. Overview of Early.
Massey, D & Higgins, M. (2011). The effect of iimigration on Religious belief and practice: A theologizing or alienating experience? Social science research.
Naaman, R. (2015). African Traditional Religion a sub-structure for sustainable development in Africa: A Kenyan perspective. International Journal of Humanities and social sciences.2.
Naik, S. (2018). Hard times and Religion: Do Religious people stay Happier in Times of Crisis? 10.13140/RG.2.2.10476.82567.
Newman, D & Graham, J. (218). Religion and well-being.
Raents, P & Husso, K. (2002). Cultural diversity in Finland.180.
Ridderstad M. (2007). Orientations of the early Christian graves in Finland. Academia.edu
Rumbaut, R. (2014). Moving: Patterns of Immigrant Settlement and Spatial Mobility. SSRN Electronic Journal.
Scheve, K & Stasavage, D. (2006). Religion and Preferences for Social Insurance. Quarterly Journal of Political Science, 1, 255-286.
Shantal, K, Halttunen, L, & Pekka, K. (2014). Sources of Principle’s Leadership Practices and Areas Training Should Emphasize: Case Finland. Journal of Leadership Education.13.29-51.10.12806/V13/12/RF2.
Stark, R & Finke, R. (2000). Acts of Faith: Explaining the Human Side of Religion. Berkeley: University of California Press.
Threlfall, M. (2003). European social Integration: Harmonization, Convergence and Single Social Areas. Journal of European Social Policy.
United Nations. (2017). The international migration report 2017 (Highlights). Retrieved from https://www.un.org/development/desa/publications/international-migration-report-2017.html
Vainio, A. (2015). Finnish moral landscapes: A Comparison of nonreligious, liberal religious, and Conservative religious adolescents. 10.1017/CB09781139583787.004
Van der Noll, J & Saroglou, A. (2018). Societal level of religiosity and religious identity expression in Europe. Journal of Cross-cultural Psychology, 49, 959-975.
Vignoles, V, Smith, P, Becker, M & Easterbrook, M. (2018). In search of a pan-European discourses and practices. London, England: Routledge.
Vistin, E.P & Sarrasin, O. (2018). Inclusive normative climates strengthen the relationship between identification with Europe and tolerant immigration attitudes: Evidence from 22 countries. Journal of Cross-cultural psychology, 49, 908-923.
Waite, L & Lehrer, E.L. (2003). The benefits from marriage and Religion in the United States: A comparative Analysis. Population and Development Review, 29(2): 255-275.
Wendy, C. & Eckland, E. (2007). Immigration and Religion. Annual review of Sociology.
Yang, F & Ebaugh, H. (2001). Transformation of New immigrant Religions and their Global implications. American sociological Review.
Zannon, F. (2015). Young immigrants and Religion in Italy. New identities, old stereotypes, an educational challenge. Ricerche di Pedagogia e Didattica
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2020 Richard Ondicho Otiso
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Authors retain copyright and grant the journal right of first publication with the work simultaneously licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution (CC-BY) 4.0 License that allows others to share the work with an acknowledgment of the work’s authorship and initial publication in this journal.
