In Switzerland, the decline of faith and religious practices continues – Swiss Catholic portal

More and less people residing in Switzerland belong to a religion and have religious practices, underlines the Federal Statistical Office (OFS) in a report published on June 23, 2025. Therefore, For a majority of the population. Consequently, religion and spirituality, however, continue to have their place in the difficult times of life.

Switzerland remains mainly Christian. However, In 2023, there were 31% of people of Roman Catholic confession and 19% of reformed evangelical confession. However, The other evangelical and Christian communities constitute 6% of the population, notes the report of the OFS. Additionally, However, The latter are the only Christian names to see their workforce slightly increase.

14,528 people Resident in Switzerland participated in the SOF survey, including 52% women and 48% of men.

The Roman Catholic community has been reduced by just over a third over the past fifty switzerland, decline faith religious practices years. Nevertheless, and the Protestant community by 60%. Meanwhile, A reduction that was mainly made for the benefit of the group of “without religious affiliation”. Furthermore, The overtaking was carried out in 2022. Therefore, That year. For example, the number of people declaring themselves without religious affiliation represented a greater proportion of the population than the Roman Catholics.

Catholic “outgoing” in disagreement with the church – Switzerland, decline faith religious practices

The group of “without religion” has thus “exploded” in recent decades. Similarly, going from 1% in 1970 to 36% today. There is also a growth of Muslim communities. from Islam, which today represent 6% of the population, compared to 4% in 2000 and 0.2% in 1970.

The absence or loss of faith (28%) is the most frequently mentioned switzerland, decline faith religious practices reason for having left his religion, followed closely by the disagreement with the positions of the community concerned (26%). For people who have left the Roman Catholic Church. this last reason prevails (38% against 23% for the absence or loss of faith).

Less bible. more Youtube – Switzerland, decline faith religious practices

This “dechristianization” goes hand in hand with a drop in practice and the attendance of religious demonstrations, in the space of ten years. More. less people attend services, follow religious or spiritual demonstrations on radio, television or on the Internet, take the time to pray or read regular or sacred works regularly.

But the fact that people open fewer bibles or corans, does not mean a disinterest in the theme of spirituality. According to the OFS. regular reading switzerland, decline faith religious practices of books, magazines or articles on the Internet dealing with spirituality has become generally more popular in the past ten years (increase from 13% to 20%). The increase in spiritual readings is the most important among the 15 to 24 year olds (+13 points).

More believing teens than their elders

The proportion of the population who believes in God also continues to decrease. In 2014, 46% of those questioned believed in one God, against 38% in 2024. The decline was particularly marked in people aged 65. over (-14 percentage points), the proportion of believers hardly changed among those under 25.

In fact, young people aged 15 to 24 are 43%to believe in one or more gods: a significantly larger proportion than that of switzerland, decline faith religious practices 25 to 44 year olds (35%), but equivalent to the following generations (45 to 64 years: 41%, 65 years and over: 45%). At the same time. the share of people who do not believe in a god or in several, or who doubt the existence of one or more gods has increased, including within the population of Roman or reformed Catholic confession (passing from 20 to 26% and 23 to 32% respectively.

Important religion in difficult times

Religion. spirituality, however, continues to play a rather important, even very important role, in difficult times in life and in the event of illness for the majority of the population (respectively for 56 and 52%). It occupies an important place for almost half of those questioned (and even 55% for the 65 years. over) in their way of perceiving the environment and for 45% of parents in the education of their children.

switzerland, decline faith religious practices

Obviously, having a religion or not plays a role in this distribution or not. Even if people without religious affiliation are still 27% to judge religion or spirituality significantly in difficult times. In all these contexts, religion or spirituality generally count more for women than for men. (cath.ch/com/rz)

The link to the SFO survey