For the first time in history, Germany has more atheists (47%) than Catholics and Protestants combined (45%), a recent survey showed, and the decline in religiosity is particularly noticeable in southern states such as Baden-Württemberg and Bavaria.
According to the Worldviews in Germany (Weltanschauungen in Deutschland) study group, in 2024, for the first time, there were more people with no religious affiliation than Catholics and Protestants. The study was based on data from publications by the German Bishops' Conference and the Protestant Church in Germany (EKD). Germany reported 47% atheists, compared to 45% for Catholics and Protestants combined, and 4% for Muslims. In 1990, only 22% of Germans declared themselves non-religious.
For comparison, in France, the non-religious have been in the majority for years, and according to a survey by the National Institute of Statistics and Economic Studies, conducted in 2019-2020, they made up 51% of the population, writes the French "Mond".
The new data confirms long-standing trends in Germany, as well as the rest of Europe. In total, the two main Christian churches lost more than a million members across Germany last year. Experts predict that within two years, people with no religious affiliation will make up more than 50% of the German population.
“People are leaving the church because they no longer feel connected to it or have simply lost faith in the religious sense,” said Edgar Wunder, a scientific advisor at the Institute for Social Sciences of the Protestant Church in Germany in Hanover. “The scandals surrounding the sexual abuse of minors have had a big impact, but in my opinion this is a temporary phenomenon. Basically, people no longer consider the church necessary or see a reason why they should be members.”
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