How can we bring people closer to the Church?
There are a number of factors that have a positive influence on people’s connection to the Church.
The mother’s religiousness has a very significant influence. A great many people regard her connection to the Church as formative.
Otherwise, the Church plays a direct or indirect role in people’s lives:
The direct significance of the Church
For many people, the Church has social significance. It is an important meeting place or a venue where people can pursue their hobbies. It can also serve as a network where people can get involved in causes they care about.
Furthermore, people are keen to make use of the services the Church offers to ease the burdens of everyday life. These include visiting the elderly and the sick, or providing childcare.
For others, their connection to the Church also lies in the fact that they feel a bond with certain beliefs, spiritual practices or traditions, and recognise the Church as a symbol of these.
Indirect significance of the Church
There are also people who have no direct relationship with the Church themselves, nor do they benefit directly from it. Nevertheless, they feel close to the Church because it provides services to third parties or campaigns politically on behalf of marginalised groups in society.
Generally speaking, the need for a sense of closeness to the Church varies depending on one’s life experience. Children develop a strong connection through Sunday school or children’s groups. Young adults feel connected through confirmation and, later, through religious ceremonies such as baptisms or weddings. Perhaps the Church has also supported them through a difficult phase in their lives.
As the religious landscape has become very diverse over recent decades, many people no longer seek an exclusive bond with a single institution. Instead, they navigate the various religious and church-based offerings with the help of networks, friendships and role models.
The findings of the 6th Church Membership Survey in Germany, or KMU-6 Study.