An Intricate Triangle— Religiosity, Volunteering, and Social Capital: The European Perspective, the Case of Finland

Abstract

Although previous literature has dealt with religiosity, voluntarism, and social capital from several angles, only a few empirical studies have focused on this tri-dimensional linkage. This research aims to add to the literature by including various forms of religiosity and social capital. Using survey data (N = 1,038), this article investigates four volunteer groups (church volunteers, volunteers in both church and other contexts, non-church volunteers, nonvolunteers) and answers three questions: How do their sociodemographic and religious backgrounds differ, how does religiosity affect the probability of belonging to these groups, and how do these groups differ in regard to their social capital? The article indicates that religiosity affects choosing between the four volunteer groups and that these groups maintain different kinds of social capital.