More Than 220,000 People Left the Catholic Church in Germany in 2020

National Catholic Register ^ | July 14, 2021 | CNA Staff

[ebb tide]

More Than 220,000 People Left the Catholic Church in Germany in 2020

BERLIN, Germany — More than 220,000 people left Catholic Church in Germany in 2020, according to official figures released on Wednesday.

The statistics issued by the German bishops’ conference on July 14 showed that 221,390 people exited the Catholic Church last year. 

The figure was almost 19% lower than that of 2019, when a record 272,771 people departed. But it was higher than the 2018 figure of 216,078, reported CNA Deutsch, CNA’s German-language news partner.

In a July 14 statement, Bishop Georg Bätzing, president of the German bishops’ conference, said that while the Church had made strenuous efforts throughout the coronavirus pandemic, it was nevertheless experiencing “a profound shock.”

He said: “This is also reflected in the statistics of people leaving the Church, which I find painful for our community. Many have lost confidence and want to send a signal by leaving the Church.” 

“We take this very seriously and must face this situation openly and honestly and give answers to the questions that are addressed to us.”

[ebb tide]

The “Synodal Way” is a multi-year process bringing together bishops and lay people to discuss four main topics: the way power is exercised in the Church; sexual morality; the priesthood; and the role of women.

The German bishops initially said that the process would end with a series of “binding” votes — raising concerns at the Vatican that the resolutions might challenge the Church’s teaching and discipline.

Bishops and theologians have expressed alarm at the process, which is expected to end in February 2022, but Bishop Bätzing and other German Church leaders have vigorously defended it.

[ebb tide]

Ping

[NWFree]

Go queer run in fear.

[irishjuggler]

The saddest part of this is that the Kraut bishops interpret the exodus as a call to double-down or triple-down on the liberalism that’s at the root of the liberalism to begin with.

[irishjuggler]

* “the root of the *exodus* to begin with”

[Roman_War_Criminal]

What’s up with the naked Indian woman under Frank’s left arm?

[KarlInOhio]

Many have lost confidence and want to send a signal by leaving the Church

There's also the German church tax which is an extra 8-9% of your income tax. You have to formally leave the church rather than just stop showing up.

[MuttTheHoople]

There were Christians in Germany to start with? I thought they all died out in the 19th Century, to be replaced by godless humanists and neo-pagans.

[Husker24]

My dad was stationed in Nuremberg in 66-68, he said there was a giant church in town he never one saw anyone go inside.

[yefragetuwrabrumuy]

Go woke, get broke.

[packagingguy]

You nailed it. If one could give what they can when they can that is another story. What if you had a medical problem, your car was totaled, you needed a new roof on the house, etc. but the church automatically took money from increased taxes?

Here you could just make up the difference when your fortunes improved.

They desperately need a First Amendment, I don’t care if some inbred English nobleman calls it “bonkers”.

[Salvation]

And how many non-Catholics left their churches?

[Bulwyf]

Maybe they left to become Christians.

[ebb tide]

I don’t know and I don’t care.

There’s only one Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church.

Any more questions?

[Stingray51]

Yes, that will be their surface reaction. But I suspect that many of them are motivated by a hatred of God and actually delight in tearing down the Church. I bet there is an interesting German word for crocodile tears.

[mosesdapoet]

Taxes may be the reason given for their leaving but there might be more. That percentage goes to the parish church they belong to they might not be agreeing with what their pastor is preaching

[kempster]

The current Pope is driving many away all over the world. You can’t teach the Gospel and then dispel the Word and, think no one will notice.

[packagingguy]

Given the current Pope, that is likely. As a Prod (a colleague from Northern Ireland, who is Catholic, introduced me to the term) I find some of what he endorses is heretical to the Christian faith—Orthodox, Catholic or Protestant.

As a Protestant it is easy to migrate from one denomination to the next, depending on how true they are to God’s word. Left PCUSA to UMC, then UMC which when went “woke” for anybody who didn’t have a disability (I won’t go into details, but when my disabled kid was discriminated against while the leadership trumpeted “inclusion” for homosexuals, lesbians, transsexuals, etc. I went ballistic) then the PCA (which welcomes disabled people) became my home.

Must admit it is harder for Catholics, their family traditions are more rigid than for Protestants.

A professor I had, a visiting scholar from Howard University, was one of the best Religion professors I had. The takeaway from his class was that American religions are a constant schism and merger of different sects.

Germany, and Europe in general, should allow the same latitude Americans have in choosing religions. Unfortunately they do not.

[pbear8]

What’s up with the naked Indian woman under Frank’s left arm?

That's the idol he worshipped at the Vatican.

[Marchmain]

220 left, 104 joined (baptism) and how many others converted or returned? Not a complete view of situation without correct numbers.