Figures from various denominations highlight one of New Zealand\u2019s unexplored mysteries \u201d\u201c the gap between religious adherence in the five-yearly census and actual church attendance.<\/p>\n
Recent statistics from the Presbyterian Church show a total attendance at Sunday services over the past year of 37,714 people \u201d\u201c just under 10 per cent of those who said they were Presbyterians in the 2006 census. Approximately a quarter of the attendees were under 13 years.<\/p>\n
The Catholics put attendance at 17 per cent of the census figures, probably the highest rate of the mainstream denominations, while Anglicans are thought to score about 15 per cent.<\/p>\n
If these numbers hold true for other denominations, a depressingly small proportion of New Zealand\u2019s total population attend church – possibly between 5 and 10 per cent.<\/p>\n
However, research indicates the actual attendance figures are higher than this.<\/p>\n