Beset by a series of sex abuse and financial scandals, the Catholic Church in Germany is seeing membership plunge as 2010 comes to a close, according to a series of surveys conducted by German media outlets.
The results released did not include an overall nationwide tally, but based on figures for individual dioceses, tens of thousands of Catholics have opted to officially leave the church over the course of the year.
The departures are not just a matter of filling church pews, but also coffers, since people who officially separate from the church are no longer required to pay a church tax automatically withdrawn from their salary.
[blockquote]The departures are not just a matter of filling church pews, but also coffers, since people who officially separate from the church are no longer required to pay a church tax automatically withdrawn from their salary.[/blockquote]
That’s exactly right, and a fact that most Americans do not grasp. Tithing in Germany is a tax, and a rather hefty one. I knew a German citizen when I was living in England who had converted to Anglicanism years before, but finally had to physically go before a German magistrate and basically swear out a warrant that he was renouncing the faith, at which point his entire family was notified by legal writ. Church shopping and religion as a strictly personal affair is not the legal norm in Germany.
That having been said, exactly how many of the no religion in Germany actually have no religion is debatable because a lot of people renounce religion simply to hold on to more of their pay checks.
Turning the Church of Jesus Christ into a political alliance of clerics sworn to secrecy, loyalty to the institution and to each other leads to abuse and eventually to the loss of money/power and influence. The loss over 100 thousand members per year since the 1990s is evidence that accountability and transparency are necessary to keep the church leaders humble and penitent and focused on the purposes of God for the church. When the church and its servants comfort and inspire people with the power of the Gospel and with God’s Truth, Love and Life defined by Scripture, hearts and minds are transformed and the church prospers and brings forth a bountiful harvest of good fruit.
St. Nikao, the largest number of departures occurred in 1992, well before the sex abuse scandal reached the public consciousness. Don’t you imagine that the departures in the Evangelical Church of Germany match the departures in the Catholic Church in Germany? Perhaps the Evangelical pastors also formed a political alliance sworn to secrecy and loyalty to the institution. I assume that under some circumstances actually following the Gospel leads to a loss of money/power and influence.
While I find the phrasing a bit dramatic and a bit on the “black legend” side, I don’t doubt at least a good percentage of the losses are due to the abuse crisis. Following the Gospel may also contribute for some. And for others NOT following the Gospel and instead watering down the Faith would be the strongest factor. Poor catechesis, lukewarm preaching, and personal issues also play a part. Sadly, many of these things intermesh and create a perfect storm of problems that cause people to flee the Church.