Hi Adrian ... "Western Europe is considered a religiously-barren place these days."
Europe made a huge swing to SECULAR LEFT following WW11 determined to rid itself of Fascism (Nazism) and the religious right for all time.
Many Jews lost their faith due to the Holocaust ... no God who is just/potent could have allowed it to happen.
Zionism leading to the creation of Israel is considered secular.
Western Capitalism's triumph over Socialism paved the way for Globalism ... itself the product of NeoLiberalism.
Western politics move in the 1980's towards the 'centre' eventually exhausting itself the narrative becoming devoid of any 'big theme' ideas. Both sides driven by focus groups/polls over mostly minutiae.
Tony Blair's Labor Third Way was an example of the politics on nothingness.
Accordingly, religion does provide a 'raison d'etre' for many who find that the 'god of mammon'(consumerism) a nihilistic existence otherwise.
