Faith crisis in Slovakia: Church and prayer lose importance!

Faith crisis in Slovakia: Church and prayer lose importance!

In Slovakia, a worrying decline in faith practice can be observed, as can be seen from a recent survey by the agency FOCUS. According to Miroslav Tizik from the Sociological Institute of the Slovak Academy of Sciences, the results show a "moderate decline" of those who regularly take part in services. In particular, less than 8 percent of the respondents attend a service several times a week, while almost a third (33.5 percent) indicate that they never attend a service. The survey, which surveyed over 1,200 people in October 2024, also reveals gender -specific differences: women pray more often and often attend worship than men. These findings were published in a comprehensive report that has illustrated the trends in religiosity since 1991.

decline in the service visits in Germany

Similar trends are also shown in Germany, where the leisure activities of the citizens are increasingly shaped by the sofa. Current results of the Leisure Monitor 2023 of the Foundation for Future Questions show that church gang has decreased drastically in recent years. While ten years ago 18 percent of the respondents still stated to visit a church at least once a month, it is only 12 percent in 2023. Only 7 percent of Germans go to church weekly - a slight decline of 9 percent in 2013. These figures illustrate a growing departure of religious practices, while internet use remains almost omnipresent: 97 percent of the citizens use the Internet at least once a week, which reflects the convenience and focus on individual needs in today's society, as the study determines, as well as Sonntagenblatt.de reported.

These developments in both countries raise questions about the future role of religion in society. A clear trend can be observed throughout the European area that affects both the visit to worship and prayer behavior. The data from Slovakia and Germany linked to a common challenge in which the organized religious communities are: How can you reactivate the believing community and promote a return to traditional practices?

The careful analysis of the survey data by the experts shows that personal values ​​and the structure of everyday life significantly influence religiosity. Fewer and fewer people seem to recognize the value of common faith in an increasingly digital and individual world.