(ZENIT News / Wellington, 05.08.2025).- New census data reveals a shifting spiritual map in Aotearoa New Zealand, where longstanding religious identities are giving way to an era of increasing secularism and evolving diversity. While Catholicism remains the largest single religious affiliation, its presence has notably diminished—both in absolute numbers and in proportion to a growing and diversifying national population.
According to figures released by Statistics New Zealand from the 2023 census, 445,704 people identified as Catholic or Roman Catholic, marking a loss of over 23,000 adherents since 2018. That 5 percent drop comes despite a 6.4 percent rise in the national population, which grew from 4.7 to 5 million during the same period. In relative terms, Catholicism’s footprint is contracting.
Yet the decline is far from isolated. Major Protestant denominations have seen even steeper descents. Anglican affiliation dropped by an alarming 22 percent, while the Baptist and Presbyterian communities fell by 20 and 19 percent, respectively. Methodists also saw double-digit shrinkage. These losses underscore a broad Christian retreat, with the total share of people identifying as any kind of Christian falling from 36.5 percent in 2018 to just 32.3 percent in 2023.
Meanwhile, those declaring “no religion” continue their upward surge. Now representing more than half of the country, this cohort climbed from 2.26 million in 2018 to 2.58 million in 2023—an increase of 14 percent. Sociologists have long noted that New Zealand, like many Western societies, is experiencing a rapid drift away from institutional religion, particularly among younger generations.
“There’s an accelerating generational break,” said Professor Emeritus Peter Lineham, a noted historian of religion in New Zealand. “For many young people, religious affiliation is no longer a default identity. Unless there’s a strong personal conviction or community connection, organized religion simply isn’t relevant.”
In contrast to the Christian downturn, some minority religions are gaining ground. The Muslim population grew sharply to 145,000 in 2023, up from 118,000 five years earlier, reflecting both migration trends and natural growth within the community. The Hindu population also rose modestly, from 2.3 percent to 2.6 percent of the population.
Interestingly, some smaller faith communities have maintained relative stability. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, for instance, saw only a slight increase from 54,123 members in 2018 to 54,348 in 2023. That constancy stands out in a landscape of decline and flux.
What the census numbers highlight is not merely a loss of faith, but a redefinition of religious identity in modern New Zealand. The Catholic Church, while still a central institution in the country’s spiritual and cultural life, is clearly facing a pivotal moment. Its decline, though smaller in scale than that of its Protestant counterparts, signals a broader question about the future of organized religion in a society that is increasingly pluralistic, mobile, and secular.
Some faith leaders argue that the data offers not just a warning, but an opportunity—a call to rethink how spiritual communities engage with a changing population. For Catholicism in particular, which retains significant numbers and a deep-rooted national presence, the challenge may not be about survival, but relevance.
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