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Australia has more churches than schools, and while the latest census results show that Christianity is the religion with which most Australians identify, less than one in seven of those who identify as Christian attend church regularly. Overall church attendance has declined over the past decades, but there are signs of growth in recent years in Protestant churches, largely due to the high growth of Pentecostal movements.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Percentage of Australians who attend church at least once per month | 15% |
| Percentage of Australians who attend church in an average week | 7% |
| Number of Australians who attend church service each week | 1.8 million |
| Number of Australians who attend church service within an average month | 1.9-2.1 million |
| Percentage of Australians who identify as Christians | 43.9% |
| Percentage of Australians who identify as having no religion | 38.9% |
| Percentage of Australians who identify as Buddhist | 2.5% |
| Percentage of Australians who attend Catholic churches | 46% |
| Percentage of Australians who attend Pentecostal churches | 12% |
| Percentage of Australians who attend Anglican churches | 11% |
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What You'll Learn
Church attendance has halved since 1972
Church Attendance in Australia
Church attendance in Australia has been declining over the past few decades. According to the National Church Life Survey (NCLS), the proportion of Australians who attend church at least once a month has more than halved since 1972, dropping from 36% to 15% currently. This decline is not unique to Australia, as many Western countries have experienced similar trends. Despite the decrease in church attendance, Australia has more churches than schools, with over 13,000 churches nationwide.
Factors Contributing to the Decline
Several factors have contributed to the decline in church attendance in Australia. One factor is the rise of secularism and the increasing number of people identifying as having no religious affiliation. In 2021, 38.9% of Australians reported having no religion, up from 6.7% in 1971. This shift away from religious institutions towards secularism is also reflected in the decline in the percentage of Christians in the Australian population, which decreased from 86.2% in 1971 to 43.9% in 2021.
Additionally, the growth of other religions in Australia has also contributed to the changing religious landscape. While Christianity remains the most common religion, with 61.1% of Australians identifying as Christians, the number of people adhering to other religions is increasing. In 2021, 10% of the population identified with religions other than Christianity, up from 3.5% in 1996.
Autonomous 'Thinking Self'
Another significant factor contributing to the decline in church attendance is the emergence of the autonomous 'thinking self'. In Western culture, there has been a shift towards individual autonomy and a 'me-focused' mentality, where people increasingly see themselves as the authority on matters of faith, belonging, and sexuality rather than accepting external moral authorities, such as religious institutions. This 'turn to the self' has led to a decrease in religious affiliation and participation in organized religion, as individuals feel they can connect with God or spirituality outside of traditional religious structures.
Media Representation of Christianity
The media representation of Christianity has also played a role in shaping public perception and influencing church attendance. While only a small proportion of Christian thinking is represented by extreme views, the media often focuses on these more reactionary and controversial elements, such as arguments against inclusivity and matters of sexual ethics. This negative portrayal of Christianity may repel potential churchgoers and contribute to the overall decline in church attendance.
Signs of Growth in Specific Denominations
Despite the overall decline in church attendance, there are signs of growth within specific denominations. Pentecostal churches, for example, are experiencing high growth and have an average attending age of 39, making them the second-largest denominational grouping of church attendees after Catholics. This growth within specific denominations suggests that while the overall trend may be declining, there are pockets of resilience and expansion within the Australian church landscape.
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Pentecostal churches are the fastest-growing denomination
While the number of people attending church in Australia has declined over the decades, Pentecostal churches are the fastest-growing denomination. In 1972, 36% of Australians attended church at least once per month, compared to 15% in 2022. However, this still equates to 3.495 million people, which is twice the number of people attending football games.
The growth in Pentecostal churches is particularly notable given the overall decline in church attendance. In the 25 years since 1991, the number of people attending Pentecostal churches has doubled. According to the 2016 census, the number of members of the Pentecostal church increased from 220,000 in 2006 to 238,000 in 2011, and to 260,500 in 2016. This growth is attributed to an increase in young people, with the largest share of affiliates in the 0-14 age group, followed by the 15-24 and 25-34 age groups.
The Australian Christian Churches (ACC), previously known as the Assemblies of God, is the largest Pentecostal denomination in Australia. In 2016, the ACC became the second-largest single denomination in Australia, after the Catholic Church. The ACC represents half of the Pentecostal movement in Australia, and its growth has contributed significantly to the overall growth of Pentecostal churches.
The Hillsong Church, one of the ten megachurches in Australia associated with the ACC, has played a significant role in the growth of Pentecostalism. Founded in 1983, Hillsong claimed more than 40,000 members every week in 2007 and had over 30 affiliated congregations in Sydney. In 2018, Hillsong withdrew from the ACC and formed its own denomination. Despite this, the impact of Hillsong on the growth of Pentecostalism in Australia cannot be understated.
The growth of Pentecostal churches in Australia can be traced back to the early 20th century when Sarah Jane Lancaster opened the first Pentecostal church, Good News Hall, in 1909. Lancaster preached around the country, and many accepted her message, leading to the establishment of numerous Pentecostal churches. Pentecostalism in Australia is a renewal movement within Protestant Christianity that emphasizes a direct personal experience of God through baptism with the Holy Spirit. Its growth has been steady, and it now represents a significant proportion of churchgoers in Australia.
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More Australians attend church than football games
Despite the decline in church attendance in Australia, more Australians attend church at least once a month than attend football games. While the number of people identifying as having no religion is growing, with 38.9% of Australians claiming no religion in 2021, more than half of Australians still identify with a religious belief system.
In 2021, around 21% of Australians attended a Christian church frequently, and between 1.9 and 2.1 million Australians attended a church service within an average month. In comparison, only 1.68 million people attended all AFL, NRL, A-League, and Super Rugby games combined per month during the football season.
The denominational grouping with the youngest church-attending population is also the fastest-growing denomination. Pentecostal churches have an average attending age of 39 and make up 12% of all churchgoers. This makes them the second-largest grouping after Catholics (46%) and before Anglicans (11%).
While Easter is a time when church attendance increases, the overall decline in church attendance is offset by signs of growth in some churches, particularly Protestant churches, due to the high growth of Pentecostal movements.
Various sociological reasons contribute to the decline in mainstream Christianity in Australia, such as improvements in education and prosperity, as well as internal institutional issues. Additionally, the rise of a 'me-focused' mentality in Western culture and the media's focus on extreme elements of Christianity may also play a role in the shift away from organized religion.
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92% of Australians are not regular churchgoers
While Australia has more churches than schools, with over 13,000 churches across the nation, only about 15% of Australians attend church at least once per month. This means that 92% of Australians are not regular churchgoers.
Over the last four decades, the proportion of Australians attending church at least once per month has more than halved, from 36% in 1972 to 15% currently. In 2016, around 1.6 million Australians, or 7% of the population, attended church in a given week. While overall church attendance has declined over the past decades, there are signs of growth in recent years in Protestant churches, largely due to the high growth of Pentecostal movements. Pentecostal churches have an average age of 39 for attending adults and a total church-going population of 12% of all churchgoers, making them the second-largest denominational grouping of church attendees after Catholics (46%) and ahead of Anglicans (11%).
Despite the decline in church attendance, Christianity remains the most popular religion in Australia, with 61.1% of Australians identifying as Christian in the latest census results. However, this number has decreased significantly since 1971, when Christians represented 86.2% of the Australian population. In 2021, Christians made up 43.9% of the population, indicating a shift away from mainstream Christianity in Australia. The decline in church attendance and identification with Christianity can be attributed to various sociological reasons, such as improvements in education and prosperity, as well as internal institutional issues.
Additionally, there is a growing number of Australians who identify with no religion, increasing from 6.7% in 1971 to 38.9% in 2021. However, it is important to note that identifying as having no religion does not necessarily mean a lack of belief in God, but rather a rejection of organized religion or church teachings. The rise of a 'turn to the self' mentality, where individuals see themselves as the authority on matters of faith, belonging, and sexuality, may also contribute to the decline in church attendance and identification with organized religion.
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Christianity is the most popular religion in Australia
The decrease in church attendance is not unique to Australia and has been observed in other Western countries as well. There are various sociological reasons for this decline, including improvements in education and prosperity, as well as internal institutional issues within the Church. The rise of a 'turn to the self' mentality, where individuals see themselves as the authority on matters of faith, belonging, and sexuality, has also contributed to the decline. People are increasingly rejecting the need for religion to connect with God.
Additionally, media coverage of Christianity often focuses on its more extreme elements, such as arguments against inclusivity and matters of sexual ethics. While these views represent only a small proportion of Christian thinking, they can be off-putting to those outside the faith. Despite the overall decline in church attendance, there are signs of growth in Protestant churches, particularly in Pentecostal movements, which have an average attending age of 39.
Catholics are the largest denominational grouping of churchgoers, making up 46% of all churchgoers, followed by Pentecostals at 12% and Anglicans at 11%. Overall, around 21% of Australians attended a Christian church frequently in 2021, and this proportion has remained relatively stable since 2006. However, compared to 1972, when 36% of Australians attended church at least once per month, the current figure of 15% attending monthly represents a more than halving of the churchgoing population.
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Frequently asked questions
21% of Australians attended a Christian church frequently in 2021.
Yes, the percentage of churchgoers has decreased over the years. In 1972, 36% of Australians attended church at least once per month, compared to 15% currently.
Christianity is the most popular religion in Australia, with 61.1% of Australians identifying as Christian in the latest census.
Less than one in seven Australians who identify as Christian attend church regularly.
