Every third Norwegian believes that Jesus rose again from the dead showed a survey. But only 14% think he rose physically.
The survey was conducted by Norstat on behalf of Vårt Land newspaper.
The question that was asked was “Do you believe in the story that Jesus rose from the dead?” Four response options were given and 14% responded that they think Jesus died and stood physically up again on Easter morning. 21%t responded that they believe in the story, but it did not necessarily happen in a physical way.
26% chose the option that it is “a nice symbolic tale of life’s victory over death, but not much more.” Almost four out of ten, 39%, said they don’t believe in the resurrection.
Sivert Skålvoll Urstad, a sociologist at the University of Agder, is not surprised by the findings.
‘’It is as expected that so many believe in the resurrection, while also that a good number state that they do not’’ said Urstad to Vårt Land.
While 43% of the men asked do not believe in the resurrection, the same applied only to 35% of women.
“Men are generally more secular than women, but actually the difference between the sexes was less than I had imagined, as it was on many other questions on other issues related to faith and identity” said Urstad.
Most belief in the resurrection was in the group aged over 50 years old. In the age group between 18 and 39, over half responded that they do not believe in the resurrection at all.
© NTB Scanpix / #Norway Today
