Re-examining the relationship between religion and punitiveness : evidence from Germany

Research has shown that punitive attitudes are influenced by denominational affiliation, religious participation and images of God. However, most of the research so far has been conducted in the United States, which is very different compared with most European states with respect to the importance of religion. The paper analyses the relationship between religion and punitiveness outside the United States in a European context based on a German-wide representative survey (N = 2265). Respondents who perceive God as loving are less punitive and support the death penalty less. The same holds for the frequency of praying and church attendance. Protestants and Catholics are also less supportive of the death penalty compared with non-affiliated individuals