Religion in Austria

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Religion in Austria (2010)

  Catholic Church (64.8%)
  Islam (6.2%)
  Lutheranism (3.8%)
  Other or none (25.2%)
St Stephen's Cathedral, Vienna

Among religions in Austria, Roman Catholic Christianity is predominant. According to the 2001 census, 73.6% of the country's population adhered to this denomination.[1] As of 2010, the most recent year for which figures are available, the number of Catholics has dropped to about 64.8% of the population.[2] There is a much smaller group of Lutherans, totaling about 4.7% of the population in 2001, 3.8% in 2010.[3] Since the 2001 census these two historically dominant religious groups in Austria recorded losses in the number of adherents. The Roman Catholic Church reported a drop of ~9%, the Lutheran Church of ~1%.

A Mosque in Telfs.

In contrast, the number of Muslims in Austria has increased in recent years, and with 4.2% of the population calling themselves Muslim in 2001, up to around 5% to 6.2% in 2010,[4][5] Muslims have overtaken Lutherans as the second largest religious group. There are also minor communities of Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists and Jews, and other religions in Austria.[6][7]

Contents

History [edit]

Austria was greatly affected by the Protestant reformation, to the point a big part of the population became Protestant. The prominent position of the Habsburgs in the Counter-Reformation, however, saw Protestantism all but wiped out, restoring Catholicism as the dominant religion once more. The significant Jewish population (around 200,000 in 1938), mainly residing in Vienna, was reduced to just a couple of thousand through mass emigration in 1938 (more than 2/3 of the Jewish population emigrated from 1938 until 1941), and the following Holocaust during the Nazi reg Immigration in more recent years, primarily from Turkey and the former Yugoslavia, has led to an increased number of Muslims and Serbian Orthodox Christians.[7] As the other European countries, Austria has experienced a growth of Pagan movements in recent years, particularly Celtist or Druidic (Druidentum) and Heathen (Heidentum) groups, but also Wiccan and Witchcraft (Hexentum) groups. As of 2010 Austrian motorway authorities have been hiring druids for geomantic works intended to reduce the number of accidents on the worst stretches of Austrian speedways.[8][9]

Changes in church adherence and attendance [edit]

Main Denominations in Austria[10][11]
year population Catholics percentage Lutherans[12] percentage
1951 6,933,905 6,170,084 89.0 % 429,493 6.2%
1961 7,073,807 6,295,075 89.0 % 438,663 6.2%
1971 7,491,526 6,548,316 87.4 % 447,070 6,0%
1981 7,555,338 6,372,645 84.3 % 423,162 5,6%
1991 7,795,786 6,081,454 78.0 % 338,709 5.0%
2001 8,032,926 5,915,421 73.6 % 376,150 4.7%
2005 8,250,000 5,662,782 68.5 % - –
2008 8,350,000 5,579,493 66.8 % 328,346 3.9%
2009 8,376,761[13] 5,533,517 66.0 % 325,314[14] 3.9%
2010 8,387,742[13] 5,452,734[2] 65.0 % 323,863[3] 3.9%
2011 8,430,558[13] 5,403,722[2] 64.1 % 319,752[3] 3.8%
2011 8,440,465[13] 5,360,000[15] 63.5 %

Since the second half of the 20th century, the number of churchgoers has dropped. Data for the end of 2005 from the Austrian Roman Catholic church lists 5,662,782 members or 68.5% of the total Austrian population, and a Sunday church attendance of 753,701 or 9% of the total Austrian population.[16] Data for the end of 2008 published by the Austrian Roman Catholic church shows a further reduction to 5,579,493 members or 66.8% of the total Austrian population, and a Sunday church attendance of 698,527 or 8% of the total Austrian population.[17] A further reduction was recorded in 2009 to 5,533,517 adherents of which 683,807 attend Sunday mass.[18] The Lutheran church also recorded a significant drop in adherents between 2001 and 2009.

According to the 2010 Eurobarometer Poll,[19] based on a limited sample:

  • 44% of Austrian citizens responded "they believe there is a God".
  • 38% answered "they believe there is some sort of spirit or life force".
  • 12% answered "they do not believe there is any sort of spirit, God, or life force".

See also [edit]

Notes [edit]

  1. ^ "Religion in Austria on CIA World Factbook". Retrieved December 13, 2006. 
  2. ^ a b c kathweb Kirchenstatistik, abgerufen am 10. Jänner 2012
  3. ^ a b c "Zahlen & Fakten". Evang.at. 2010-12-31. Retrieved 2011-07-24. 
  4. ^ How many Muslims live in Austria
  5. ^ Islam in Osterreich
  6. ^ "Religion in Austria on CIA World Factbook". Retrieved April 21, 2007. 
  7. ^ a b "Religion in Austria on Sacred Destinations". Retrieved April 21, 2007. 
  8. ^ Druids cut death toll with divine intervention. The Telegraph.
  9. ^ Motorway druids tackle road accidents. Austrian Times.
  10. ^ pdf
  11. ^ Medienreferat der Österreichischen Bischofskonferenz / Kathpress.at. "Statistics Catholic Church in Austria 2003–2008". Katholisch.at. Retrieved 25 April 2010. 
  12. ^ "Statistical Data 2001–2008 in German". Evang.at. 31 December 2009. Retrieved 25 April 2010. [dead link]
  13. ^ a b c d Austrian Population 4. Quarter 2009. Retrieved 14 January 2010.
  14. ^ "Bischof Bünker: "Jeder Austritt ist einer zu viel."". Evang.at. 19 January 2010. Retrieved 25 April 2010. [dead link]
  15. ^ Kirchenaustritte gingen 2012 um elf Prozent zurück
  16. ^ "Kirchliche Statistik der Diozösen Österreichs (Katholiken, Pastoraldaten) für das Jahr 2005". Retrieved April 21, 2007. 
  17. ^ "Kirchliche Statistik der Diozösen Österreichs (Katholiken, Pastoraldaten) für das Jahr 2008". Retrieved November 1, 2009. 
  18. ^ title= Kirchliche Statistik der Diozösen Österreichs (Katholiken, Pastoraldaten) für das Jahr 2009 - PDF document
  19. ^ Eurobarometer Biotechnology report 2010 p.383

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