The decline in the Catholic population shown by the 2013 census “is quite alarming”, according to history professor Peter Lineham of Massey University. In the 2006 national census, 508,761 people identified themselves as Catholic. By the time of the 2013 census that had fallen to 492,111. The census results show that the number of self-identified Read more
New Zealand Catholic Bishops welcomed the Census 2013 figures on religious affiliation published today and noted that the majority of New Zealanders identify with a diverse range of religions, although the number that don’t have a religious affiliation is increasing. “The number of Catholics is fairly similar to the number published in 2006, with about Read more
Christianity has shed hundreds of thousand of devotees in the past seven years, while the number of non-religious has risen strongly. Victoria University professor Paul Morris, who specialises in religious studies, said the country was in “new territory”, with Christianity losing its central position in society. “For the first time since 1901, Christians are not Read more