On the Causes and Consequences of Religiosity

Inaugural lecture by Professor Jeanet Sinding Bentzen.

To mark Jeanet Sinding Bentzen's appointment as Professor in Economics on 1 September 2025, the faculty cordially invites you to attend her inaugural lecture. Jeanet Sinding Bentzen will present her research on the emergence of religious belief and on role of religion for democracy, science, and social values.

Abstract

In this inaugural lecture, Jeanet Sinding Bentzen will present her research on why some societies are more religious than others and what role religion plays in society. One key finding is that exposure to natural disasters - like major earthquakes - can strengthen religious faith, as uncertainty and adversity drive people to seek comfort in religion. COVID-19 also meant rising religiosity worldwide. Jeanet Bentzen finds that how devout people are often impacts society more than which religion they belong to. For instance, higher religiosity in a society often goes hand in hand with more conservative views on gender roles and moral issues. Historically, political leaders have used religion to reinforce their authority, a practice that in some cases slowed the development of democratic institutions.

Programme