Although we have mentioned the potential pitfalls in making causal inferences,
we can note how the observed patterns of partial correlation in the aggregate data relate
to theories of the effects of economic development on religiosity. The positive
association between education and church attendance accords with Sacerdote and
Glaeser’s (2001) argument that more educated people have a greater incentive to
participate in group activities, including church services. The positive relation between
education and the religious beliefs is more surprising and, in fact, conflicts with
Sacerdote and Glaeser’s (2001) findings on micro data within countries.