Study: Number of religious groups in Switzerland is falling

Bern - Switzerland is not immune to the ongoing secularisation. A new study shows how developments have progressed in Germany's neighbouring country. But there are also communities on the rise.

Published on 28.11.2024 at 15:25 –

The dwindling social influence of religion in Switzerland is also reflected statistically. According to a recent study, the number of religious groups in the Alpine republic fell by around seven per cent to 5,880 between 2008 and 2022. This is the conclusion reached by scientists from the Universities of Lausanne and Basel.

According to the study, the Reformed and Catholic churches in particular have lost many local groups. However, the decline also affects other religious communities such as Hindus and Muslims. "Generally speaking, the smaller and younger the religious groups are, the more likely they are to disappear," explains Jörg Stolz, one of the authors of the study.

Evangelical-charismatic communities and Pentecostal movements, on the other hand, are on the rise. According to the data, more than 200 new groups of this type have emerged in Switzerland since 2008. However, due to high fluctuation, their total number has remained stable. (KNA)