Over a million people abandoned the largest churches in Germany last year, making those with no religious affiliation the largest group in the country.
A survey conducted by Weltanschauungen suggested that both the Evangelical Church in Germany (EKD) and the Roman Catholic Church lost around 580,000 members each last year.
Research from previous years showed even greater declines for the EKD, however 2024 was the first year when the Catholic Church lost similar numbers to their Protestant counterparts.
As a result of the losses, “nones” now outnumber both Catholics and Protestants for the first time, representing 47% of the overall population. The Roman Catholic Church still accounts for 24% of the population, while the EKD represents 21% of the nation.
The number of Muslims in Germany has apparently risen by around 80,000, thanks in large part to liberal immigration and asylum policies.
The research also looked at religious observance. Only 6.6% of Catholics go to church at least once a month, while among Protestants the figure is even worse at 2.3%. By contrast a quarter of Germany’s growing Muslim population go to the mosque at least once a month.
The apparently dispiriting situation in Germany stands in contrast to the “quiet revival” that is apparently taking place in Britain.
Recent research from the Bible Society has indicated that the percentage of adults attending church regularly has grown from 8% to 12%, representing an extra 2 million people going to church.
Among young people the numbers are even more dramatic. The percentage of 18 to 24-year-olds attending church has risen in the last six years from just 4% to 16%. Among young men the figure has actually gone up to 21%.
Easter services and events across the country were reportedly packed out in both Protestant and Catholic churches, as more people seek the good news.
