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Religious belonging and religious demography

Roman Catholics and Protestants 1950-2010

In spite of their large congregations, the German Churches continue to experience lack of interest on the part of their members. According to sociologist Michael Ebertz (1998), four phases mark (...)

In spite of their large congregations, the German Churches continue to experience lack of interest on the part of their members. According to sociologist Michael Ebertz (1998), four phases mark the evolution of Church membership in Germany.
1. From the 1950’s to the mid 1960’s, the Churches had a clear monopoly over the religious market. More than 90% of the population were members of one of the two principal Churches.
2. In the second phase (1965 to1980), the Churches’ relevance as a binding force decreased and Christian groups fell into decline. This marked the beginning of what historians describe as the end of the "second confessional era" (Blaschke 2001).
3. This trend gained momentum during the 1980’s, a period during which churchgoers also aged and began to comprise mainly of women.
4. The country was divided into three religious / denominational groups following the reunification of East and West Germany in 1990. Germany’s religious population at that time comprised 26 million Catholics, as many Protestants and 23 million people who had no religious affiliation. Those who had no religion were principally found in East Germany, where the lack of religious practice is considered as normal as being Catholic or Protestant in the West. The adherents of other religions were in the minority. This continuous change in religious affiliation and demography is related to three factors. Firstly, since the 1970’s, there have been more funerals than christenings. Secondly, more people are leaving Churches than entering them. Finally, the number of Christians lost through emigration is higher than that gained through immigration.

Total population, Catholic and Protestants 1960 - 2010

year Total population Catholics Absolute figures % Protestants Absolute figures %
1960 55.433.000 25.804.000 46,5 28.529.000* 50,8*
1965 58.619.000 27.500.000 46,9 29.079.000 49,6
1970 60.651.000 28.951.000 47,7 28.378.000 46,8
1975 61.847.000 29.437.000 47,6 27.184.000 44,0
1980 61.538.000 28.748.000 46,7 26.104.000 42,4
1985 60.975.000 27.468.000 45,0 25.106.000 41,2
1990 63.254.000 27.537.000 43,5 25.156.000 39,7
1991** 79.984.000 28.198.000 35,3 29.202.000 36,5
1995 81.661.000 27.715.000 33,9 27.922.000 34,2
2000 82.188.000 26.817.000 32,6 26.614.000 32,4
2003 82.532.000 26.165.000 31,7 25.836.000 31,3
2005 82.438.000 25.870.000 31,4 25.386.000 30,8
2010 81.751.600 24.651.000 30,2 23.896.000 29,2

Source: Statistisches Bundesamt (ed.), Statistisches Jahrbuch 2011: Für die Bundesrepublik Deutschland, Wiesbaden 2011; Statistisches Bundesamt (ed.) Datenreport 2006, Bundeszentrale für politische Bildung, Bonn 2006; Sekretariat der Deutschen Bischofskonferenz (DBK), Bevölkerung und Katholiken in Deutschland 1950-2010; Evangelische Kirche in Deutschland (EKD), Statistik über die Äußerungen des kirchlichen Lebens in den Gliedkirchen der EKD im Jahr 2010, Hannover 2011; Evangelische Kirche in Deutschland (EKD), Statistik über die Äußerungen des kirchlichen Lebens in den Gliedkirchen der EKD im Jahr 2005, Hannover 2006.
* 1961 value
** From 1991, includes values for East Germany

Number of Catholics, Protestants and others*

JPEG - 38.6 KiB

Percentage of Catholics, Protestants and others* in total population

JPEG - 54.8 KiB

* Others include those not affiliated with any religion.
Source: Statistisches Bundesamt (ed.), Statistisches Jahrbuch 2011: Für die Bundesrepublik Deutschland, Wiesbaden 2011; Statistisches Bundesamt (ed.) Datenreport 2006, Bundeszentrale für politische Bildung, Bonn 2006; Sekretariat der
Deutschen Bischofskonferenz (DBK), Bevölkerung und Katholiken in Deutschland 1950-2010; Evangelische Kirche in Deutschland (EKD), Statistik über die Äußerungen des kirchlichen Lebens in den Gliedkirchen der EKD im Jahr 2010, Hannover 2011; Evangelische Kirche in Deutschland (EKD), Statistik über die Äußerungen des kirchlichen Lebens in den Gliedkirchen der EKD im Jahr 2005, Hannover 2006.

D 26 July 2012    AMatthias Koenig ASabine Trittler

New, returning and departing members

Roman Catholics
From the Post-war era to the end of the 1960s, the number of Catholics leaving the Church remained low (about 25.000 departures each year), a figure that had hitherto never (...)

Roman Catholics

From the Post-war era to the end of the 1960s, the number of Catholics leaving the Church remained low (about 25.000 departures each year), a figure that had hitherto never been recorded and will never be met again. After that, the highest figures in an irregular pattern were recorded in 1970 (69.000 departures) and 1974 (83.000). Thereafter, the number of people leaving remained high. During the 1980’s, the rate of departures started to rise again. From 1989 to 1990, there was a sharp increase from 93.000 to 144.000 departures – a development best understood within the context of the German reunification. As a result of the reunification, a lot of Easterners who had earlier turned their backs on the Church chose the occasion to officially leave it. The outward trend thus reached its highest point in 1992 with 193.000 departures (Ebertz 1998). After a decline in departure rates between 2000 und 2005, the number of Catholics leaving the Church presently borders again on 181.193 in 2010 (DBK).

Protestants

The departure rate is higher in the Protestant Church than in the Catholic Church. While few Protestants left the Church in the Post-war era, figures rose in the 60’s and in 1974, there were over 200.000 departures. From that time on, the number of people leaving the Church exceeds those entering or returning. After relatively stabilising, departures again increased to reach 148.000 in 1989. In 1992, the departure rate reached its peak with 361.000 Protestants leaving the Church. Here, as with the Catholic departures, consideration must be given to the effects of the reunification (Ebertz 1998). From 1995 the number of departures declined further to around 120.000 departures in 2005 but increased again to 145.000 leaving Protestants in 2010 (EKD). From data provided by the Church itself, it is expected that one third of Protestants will leave the Church between now and 2030.

Those with no religion

While the German Churches are losing their members, the number of persons who have no religion is on the increase. In West Germany, they represent 16% of the population and almost 74% in East Germany (Statistisches Bundesamt: Datenreport 2011). In West Germany, most of the people have left the Church whereas in the East the majority is not born into any religion. The former socialist regime put pressure on believers to leave the Church and not baptise their children. In West Germany, the decline in Church attendance is rather due to the burden of paying Church tax. The immigration of non-Christians has a further negative effect on Church membership (EKD 2003).

Towards religious plurality

On the premise that Germany’s demographic evolution will be marked by immigration in the next few decades, a greater diversity in the religious landscape is to be expected. For the Christian faiths, the Roman Catholic and Orthodox Churches stand to gain from the immigration surplus coming from Southern Europe while the Protestant Church will hardly profit at all.

New, returning and departing members, 2010

Catholics (Roman Catholic Church) Protestants (Evangelical Church)
New entrants + Returnees 10.979 37.948
Departures 181.193 145.250
Balance -170.214 -107.302

Source : Sekretariat der Deutschen Bischofskonferenz (DBK), Eintritte, Wiederaufnahmen zur katholischen Kirche sowie Austritte aus der katholischen Kirche 1950 – 2010; Evangelische Kirche in Deutschland (EKD), Statistik über die Äußerungen des kirchlichen Lebens in den Gliedkirchen der EKD im Jahr 2010, Hannover 2011.

The Catholic Church: New, returning and departing members, 1950-2010

Year New Returning Departing
1950 20.548 10.090 33.536
1955 12.975 6.415 21.292
1960 13.970 5.645 23.889
1965 10.247 3.967 22.791
1970 4.132 1.725 69.454
1975 3.500 2.298 69.370
1980 4.103 3.630 66.438
1985 4.210 4.517 74.112
1990 3.975 4.913 143.530
1991 3.915 4.734 167.933
1995 3.797 6.344 168.244
2000 3.842 8.171 129.496
2005 4.958 11.210 89.565
2010 3.576 7.403 181.193

Source : Sekretariat der Deutschen Bischofskonferenz (DBK), Eintritte, Wiederaufnahmen zur katholischen Kirche sowie Austritte aus der katholischen Kirche 1950 - 2010.

The Protestant Church: New, returning and departing members, 1965 - 2010

Year Entrants + Returnees Adult baptisms Departing
1965 29.499 5.236 39.611
1970 17.165 3.825 202.823
1975 11.747 6.333 168.641
1980 19.688 10.460 119.814
1985 23.908 14.506 140.553
1990 28.470 13.986 144.143
1991 44.731 22.914 320.635
1995 34.549 22.953 296.782
2000 37.853 23.644 188.557
2005 41.237 23.358 119.561
2010 37.948 18.957 145.250

Source: Evangelische Kirche in Deutschland (EKD), Statistik über die Äußerungen des kirchlichen Lebens in den Gliedkirchen der EKD im Jahr 2010, Hannover 2011; Evangelische Kirche in Deutschland (EKD), Statistik über die Äußerungen des kirchlichen Lebens in den Gliedkirchen der EKD im Jahr 2005, Hannover 2006.

D 26 July 2012    AMatthias Koenig ASabine Trittler

Numerical strength of the clergy

The Roman Catholic Clergy
One of the greatest problems in the German Church remains the drop in the number of priests. While in 1970 there were 25.000 lay priests and clerics, this number was (...)

The Roman Catholic Clergy

One of the greatest problems in the German Church remains the drop in the number of priests. While in 1970 there were 25.000 lay priests and clerics, this number was only 20.000 in 1980. The rate of decline has since slowed down. Statistics available for 2010 puts the number of priests at 15.136, including more than one third of retired people. There are not enough priests in active service (only 9.857) for the 11.524 parishes and pastorates. Therefore, many parishes have to share a priest. The high average age of the population and the non-renewal of the generations contribute in painting a rather bleak picture of the future of pastoral vocations.

By encouraging the participation of lay members in Catholic parishes, the drop in the number of priests has led to a radical change - the number of permanent deacons rose from 451 in 1978 to 3.032 in 2010. In Germany, this office has become indispensable in the religious life of the parish. The involvement of the laity in professional positions has also increased in other areas of the pastorate.

Roman Catholic clergy in 2010

Absolute figures Percentage of women
Lay priests 12.931 -
Order priests 2.205 -
Total priests 15.136 -
- Involved in the parish 9.857 -
- Not working (Priests on holiday, retired) 5.279 -
Permanent deacons 3.032 -
Main occupation ("im Hauptberuf") 1.152 -
Secondary occupation ("mit Zivilberuf") 1.880 -
Parish officers / assistants 4.481 77,0%
Pastoral officers /assistants 3.071 41,2%
Members of religious orders 25.511 82,4%
Members of secular institutes 1.881 88,4%

Source : Sekretariat der Deutschen Bischofskonferenz (DBK), Personalstatistik (Nachweisungen) für Deutschland, Wohnbevölkerung 2010.

Catholic ordinations, 1962-2010

Year Number
1962 557
1965 500
1970 303
1975 191
1980 211
1985 220
1990 295
1995 186
2000 154
2005 122
2010 81

Source : Sekretariat der Deutschen Bischofskonferenz (DBK), Statistik der Neupriester 1962-2010.

The Protestant Clergy

The Protestant Churches employ more than half a million people, 222.721 of which work as staff of the public corporations. In comparison to these figures, the number of theologians (21.488) appears modest – there is one pastor for every 1.723 Protestants. They are of course assisted by deacons, sextons, musicians, office staff and others. The majority of the 453.000 men and women who work in the diaconate are employed in schools and care institutions. The major tasks centre on Church administration. ("Kreiskirchenämter", "Landeskirchenämter").

Furthermore, there are more than one million voluntary workers (1.107.763 in 2010) who carry out a large part of the communal tasks. They serve as members of Church Boards, editorial committees for Church bulletins, visitation teams, etc. Women make up 69,9% of volunteers. For each professional in the German Protestant Church, there are on the average, four or five volunteers.

The Protestant Clergy in 2009

Church workers: Absolute figures Percentage of women
Having tenure 18.576 32,1%
- on full-time basis 14.356 23,7%
- on part-time basis 4.220 60,8%
Without tenure 548 59,3%
On holiday or fulfilling other functions 2.364 38,6%
Total 21.488 33,5%
- in the parishes 14.040 29,6%
- Specific duties 5.554 40,1%

Source: Evangelische Kirche in Deutschland (EKD), Zahlen und Fakten zum kirchlichen Leben. Kapitel: Hauptamt und Ehrenamt (2009), Hannover 2012.

D 26 July 2012    AMatthias Koenig ASabine Trittler

Religious diversification

From the institutional point of view, religious diversification in Germany is limited - the smaller religious communities have no hope of competing with the two principal Churches. For this (...)

From the institutional point of view, religious diversification in Germany is limited - the smaller religious communities have no hope of competing with the two principal Churches. For this reason, the German society remains largely marked by Christianity.

But while society affirms its attachment to Christian values, the bases for these values are being largely ignored. Although 65% of Germans believe that God exists, only 18% believe in the God of the Bible. Conversely, almost 80% trust in their guardian angel, who, as a personal protector replaces God. Similarly, a growing number of Germans no longer derive the meaning of life from God, but rather from their own personal actions.

Among Christians, these changes also are seen in a mounting syncretism – surveys show belief in magic, astrology and other non-Christian spiritual practices is becoming increasingly common. It appears possible to combine Churches membership with growing individualism and various syncretic practices, as can be seen in the comparatively low rate of departure. The result is a religiosity that involves no commitment, found both within and without the Church.

However, the detached attitude towards Catholic and Protestant religiosity is not necessarily linked to a growing interest for other religions. Neither the other Christian Churches nor the Asian religions record high new membership levels. Similarly, although Islam is the largest religion in Germany after Catholicism and Protestantism, it remains the religion of ethnic minorities (90% are Turkish, 10% Iranian and German). And since there are no efforts made at proselytising, the rate of conversions remains low. The biggest minority Church in Germany is the New Apostolic Church. While at the international level, membership increased suddenly from 700, 000 in 1968 to 5.5 million in 1989, it did not attract much attention in Germany (430, 000 members in 1989 and 600, 000 in 1994). The same can be said for Jehovah Witnesses and other sects. Contrary to the principal Churches, these faiths do not appear to be compatible with the liberal religiousness of the Germans (Ebertz 1998).

D 26 July 2012    AMatthias Koenig ASabine Trittler

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