Editing Bergen op Zoom (section)

===Religion===
During the [[Eighty Years' War]], Bergen op Zoom chose the side of the Dutch Republic, and, simultaneously, Protestantism. The Catholics of the city either adapted or moved to the surrounding countryside, which remained largely Catholic. The inhabitants who chose to stay Catholic went to church in secret barns and houses, since the local Sint-Getrudischurch was assigned to the Protestant community.

Slowly, most of the city council members of Bergen op Zoom became Protestant. Protestants dominated the council until the 18th century. After that, the number of Catholics in Bergen op Zoom increased and, during the second part of the 18th century, a majority of Bergen op Zoom's population was Catholic again. Although the Catholics enjoyed religious freedom during the French period in 1795–1814, their emancipation did not take place until later.

In 1832, a Catholic parish, the ‘Heilige Maagd ten Ophemeling’, was allowed to have its own church. In the same period, the Jewish community built a synagogue for their use. 

In 1972, the Protestant community, after the loss of many members, gave the Sint-Getrudischurch to the Catholic parish. Since the return of the Church, Catholic services have been held here again.

As a result of [[Turks in the Netherlands|Turkish]] and [[Moroccans in the Netherlands|Moroccan]] immigration to the Netherlands, the city has a significant Muslim minority.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Statistiek |first=Centraal Bureau voor de |date=2016-12-22 |title=Helft Nederlanders is kerkelijk of religieus |url=https://www.cbs.nl/nl-nl/nieuws/2016/51/helft-nederlanders-is-kerkelijk-of-religieus |access-date=2023-11-19 |website=Centraal Bureau voor de Statistiek |language=nl-NL}}</ref>