DThe most important reason for the serious loss of large church members is Church taxOther factors, such as bad experience with clergy or anger at the church’s political statements, have little effect. This is the result of a representative study of the churches in the two Protestant regions in Wurttemberg and Westphalia, which can be used by FAZ.
Current data from the two churches also indicate that the trend of more church resignations since 2017 will continue in 2021. In 2020, due to the special circumstances caused by the corona, the number of people leaving the church is obviously only slightly reduced. FAZ’s Württemberg church councilor Martin Kastrup said that in the months since the registry was opened, “the level is still surprisingly high”
A survey of church resignations shows that saving church taxes is the decisive motive for approximately 75% of resigners. The reasons for leaving the church also vary with age. People over 40 usually have specific reasons to ask church Annoyed.
Among the younger generation, there is generally a general indifference to the church, especially among young people, which is also a general rejection of religion. Only 4% of the interviewees defended their departure based on the political stance of the church. Study author Fabian Peters talked about an “important but controllable factor” that can be observed especially in older men.
Of the 500 interviewees, only 10 cited the church’s controversial involvement in the maritime rescue of Mediterranean migrants as the reason for their departure. “Our guess is that it played a bigger role,” Peters told FAZ
On the other hand, the debate on sexual abuse in the Catholic Church had a strong impact on the Protestant Church. Württemberg Church Member Kastrup said: “We did not fully assume responsibility, but to a large extent we assumed joint and several liability.”
