By Joseph Shulam Copyright 2024.
In the 20th Century, Christianity in Europe declined across the board, but especially in Catholic countries. The regular weekly attendance at the Catholic Church in Europe, especially in Italy, has dropped dramatically in the last decades. In most other Western European countries, the average attendance in Catholic and Protestant churches is 3% of their registered members.
The following is data on the conditions of European churches in the last decade.
Over the past decade, Europe has experienced a notable decline in church attendance, reflecting broader trends of secularization across the continent.
Here is an up-to-date summary of the % of church attendance in Europe in 2023.
The percentage of the population attending church regularly (at least once a week) in 2024 for the specified countries is: •Germany: 2.4% •United Kingdom: 1.0% • Scotland: 0.5% • France: 8.0% • Italy: 34.0% • Germany: 2.4% • United Kingdom: 1.0% • Scotland: 0.5%. • France: 8.0% • Italy: 34.0%
I don't find the attendance issue alarming. The reasons for the decline in attendance are even more critical and disturbing. Countries such as the United Kingdom, France, and Germany have seen significant reductions in regular church participation. For instance, in Germany, over half a million individuals left the Catholic Church in 2022 alone, prompting discussions about the potential closure of numerous church properties. While traditionally more religious, Central and Eastern Europe are also experiencing declines in church attendance, though the rates vary by country. Poland remains an outlier, with approximately 42% of adults attending weekly services, a figure higher than in most European nations.
Country-Specific Data:
• United Kingdom: The Church of England reported an average weekly attendance of 693,000 in 2023, continuing a downward trend observed over recent years.
• Scotland: For the first time, census data revealed that over half of the Scottish population identifies as having no religion, with Church of Scotland membership declining to 20.4%.
• Italy: Weekly church attendance decreased from approximately 1.78 million in 2006 to 1.14 million in 2023, indicating a gradual decline.
What are the factors Contributing to the Decline?
Increasing secular attitudes, especially among younger generations, have led to a rise in individuals identifying as non-religious or unaffiliated with any church.
2. Incidents such as sexual abuse scandals have eroded trust in religious institutions, contributing to decreased attendance.
3. Modern lifestyles and alternative forms of community engagement have reduced the centrality of church activities in daily life.
The past decade has seen a consistent decline in church attendance across Europe, but not only in Europe. The main reason, in my opinion, is a combination of some very serious trends and a combination of secularization, and in the priorities of the churches from people to prosperity, i.e., money, Mamon, and mixing political affiliation with a false religious premise that promises prosperity and wealth in place of a stalwart stand for truth, righteousness, and charity. Widows and orphans, feeding the hungry and comforting the suffering, have disconnected from the hard-working population and replaced with investment in youth and evolving cultural norms.
In the early 1970s, Professor Robert Brinsmead wrote an article titled "The End of Western Christianity." According to Brinsmead, the leading cause of the end of Western Christianity is Systematic Theology, in which each Christian church group develops theologies and cements the division and alienation between the Christian denominations. In fact, "systematic theology" is the atomization of the Protestant Christian denomination, breaking down the fibers that unite us as disciples of Christ and not of the founders of these denominations. Like taking a live fish from the ocean, stuffing it into a metal can, and labeling it "Star Kissed." – This canning of Biblical truth and labeling it after the name of a denomination running a seminary for the denomination is one of the significant factors rapidly destroying the very fibers that ought to unite and not divide the Christian Church worldwide.
Another related article on this subject is Jon Meacham's 2009 article in Newsweek, "The End of Christian America," which discusses the decline of Christian influence in American society. Jon Meacham examines the evolving religious landscape of the United States, highlighting a decline in traditional Christian influence within the nation's cultural and political spheres.
Meacham references the 2009 American Religious Identification Survey, which indicates that the number of Americans identifying with no religious affiliation nearly doubled from 8% in 1990 to 15% in 2009.
"The number of Americans who claim no religious affiliation has nearly doubled since 1990, rising from 8 to 15 percent."
This shift is particularly notable in the Northeast, traditionally a stronghold of American religious identity.
The article discusses the emergence of a "post-Christian" narrative, suggesting that while Christianity remains a significant force, its dominance in American public life is diminishing.
"The so-called Judeo-Christian consensus of the last millennium has given way to a post-modern, post-Christian, post-Western cultural crisis which threatens the very heart of our culture."
Meacham notes that this transition reflects a broader cultural shift towards secularism and religious pluralism. Meacham explores how this decline in Christian affiliation influences American politics and culture, leading to a more secular public sphere. He argues that the separation of church and state is becoming more pronounced, with religious belief increasingly viewed as a personal matter rather than a public mandate.
"There is, however, a sense among believers and nonbelievers that America is less Christian than it has been and may even be moving into a post-Christian phase."
Meacham's analysis provides a nuanced perspective on the changing role of Christianity in American society, emphasizing the complexities of faith in the modern era.
The coffin of Western Christianity is already being prepared in seminaries and Catholic Universities. Just this morning, I opened my computer, and an article with this title popped up even before I made and put milk in my coffee.
"The Historical Jesus: Investigating the unthinkable," by Mark Craig.
The academic article was written by Mark Craig, the Middle Leader of Religion: Curriculum at Chisholm Catholic College in the Brisbane Archdiocese. He has a master's degree in education and a Bachelor of Theology.
The Abstract from the Article:
"A question important to Christology today is one that, potentially, could spell the end of Christianity as we know it. Did the historical Jesus exist? Was there a man called Jesus who lived in 1st century Palestine, preached a unique message of compassion and love, gathered a following of faithful disciples, was arrested and then later crucified by Roman authorities. Is this so-called Jesus of history genuine and easily supported by historical evidence? The purpose of this study is to look at the available evidence, both biblical and non-biblical, presenting original manuscripts, commentary, and current scholarship. What does come through strongly is the inability to make a watertight case for the existence of an historical Jesus. Furthermore, the possibility that the Jesus story may be a reworking of ancient pagan mythologies is particularly challenging. "
I suppose Mr. Craig dropped his priestly clothing and discovered in Australia that he has little faith and knowledge. I say this because, as we all know, a little knowledge is much more dangerous than total ignorance.
Here are some disturbing ideas that Mark Craig writes in his article:
1. After two paragraphs downgrading Josephus Flavius and his works, a significant source of trustworthy historical information on the history of the Jewish wars with Rome from the end of the 1st century B.C. almost to the end of the 1st Century A.D., Craig now decides that Josephus Flavius is not to be trusted in his statement about Jesus.
2. Craig writes about "Eusebius, who is held to be Christianity's chief guide for the early history of the Church, confesses that "he was by no means scrupulous (giving careful attention to what is right or proper) in recording the whole truth concerning the early Christians in the various works that he has left behind him."
3. Craig again doubts the writings of another trusted historian of the First Century CE in the Roman Empire, Gaius Suetonius Tranquillas, a contemporary of Tacitus and chief secretary of Emperor Hadrian (117-138 CE), records in his Life of Claudius (XXv.4). As the Jews were making constant disturbances at the instigation of Chrestus, Hadrian expelled them from Rome. Craig says this, which historian Suetonius calls "Chrestus," doesn't have to be Yeshua (Christ).
4 Craig's references to Jewish sources, the Talmud, are the most egregious.
"Although there is arguably no persuasive evidence for the historical Jesus among Jewish historians, there is a handful of references from within the Jewish Talmud that are sometimes enlisted as evidence for the historical Jesus. The Babylonian Talmud Sanhedrin 43a, compiled between 70 and 200 CE, speaks of Jesus' crucifixion, saying: "On the eve of the Passover Yeshu was hanged."
Imagine now that Jewish Rabbis, after the destruction of the temple in Jerusalem in 70 A.D., are sitting and discussing the Torah, and just at that point, they jump into the northern side of the temple court in Jerusalem. One of these Rabbis jumps from his seat and says, "Yeshua was hanged during the Passover," and opens a discussion under the eyes of the Roman garrison right on top of the courts of the temple. The section of Talmud Craig cited here is an opening passage of several pages in the Talmud that discusses the execution of Yeshua (Jesus) in detail, including a discussion of some of Yeshua's disciples. It is meaningless, as Craig purports that the enemies of Yeshua did not discuss His execution because Yeshua is not real and never existed.
With all that has been going on in Western civilization in these last decades, some child needs to say to the theologians, teachers, and pastors of today, "The king is naked – he has no clothes!"
Professors of the Bible need to stand up and bring back the most critical asset that we, as disciples of Yeshua, have - the Biblical truth. Orthodox Jewish Rabbis sit, study, teach, inspire, and learn to eat, sing, and dance it – the biblical truth, the message of salvation, and the power of God's Word.
"For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart." (Hebrews 4:12 NKJV)
Stand with Netivyah International and Netivyah in Israel as well, and help us debunk these horrible trends from the pits of hell and destroy not only Christianity in general but your children and your communities and your lives and morality. The Bible is the Word of God, and it is the blueprint for building our lives based on God's Word and what is good, healthy, and Holy.
These are issues that are at the very foundation of our way of life, our understanding of what life is like here on this earth.
If we lose our faith because we rely on post-modern baboons without God's instructions and the Ten Commandments, our families will fall apart, and our children will walk away and jump into the abyss of hopelessness and the pits of despair. Materialism and financial prosperity don't make people happier. Winning the lottery of millions of dollars will make you rich and happy for a season, but not for long. It's your choice to stay faithful to God and His Son, our Messiah, or turn your back on God and His Son and Word and make the Playboy philosophy and magazine your new Bible.
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