What Is the Main Religion in Germany?

Christianity in Germany: A Long and Complicated Story

In 800 AD, Charlemagne ruled an empire centered on what is now Germany and France, and Christianity was the empire's organizing principle - the source of legitimacy, the framework of law, and the institution that connected every town and village to a single European superstructure. Today, Germany is one of the most secular countries in Europe. About 30% of Germans describe themselves as having no religious affiliation. Among people under 30, the number is significantly higher. The journey from there to here is one of the most consequential stories in Western history.

The Reformation

Martin Luther nailed his 95 Theses to a church door in Wittenberg on October 31, 1517 - or so the story goes (the historical evidence for the actual nailing is thinner than the mythology). What is certain is that by 1517, Luther was publicly challenging the authority of the Roman church and that within a decade, the church had split. The Reformation happened in Germany, spread from Germany, and changed Christianity permanently.

The political consequences were enormous. The Peace of Augsburg in 1555 established the principle of cuius regio, eius religio - whoever rules, his religion. German princes could choose whether their territory was Catholic or Protestant, and their subjects were expected to follow. The German-speaking world divided along a confessional line that ran roughly between north and south: northern Germany became largely Protestant, southern Germany and Austria remained largely Catholic. That geographic division still shows up in culture, politics, and surname patterns today.

The Kirchensteuer

Germany's church tax is one of the most unusual features of its religious landscape. Members of recognized religious communities - primarily Catholic and Protestant but also Jewish communities - pay a percentage of their income tax to their church, collected by the state tax authority. The rate varies by state but is typically 8-9% of the income tax owed, not of total income. You can leave the church and stop paying, but doing so requires a formal legal process at the civil registry office and costs a small administrative fee.

This system generates enormous revenue for the major churches - the Catholic and Protestant churches together receive roughly 12 billion euros annually from the Kirchensteuer. It also provides a financial incentive to formally leave the church for Germans who are not practicing, which is one reason the formal exit numbers are high.

Where Germany Is Now

The Catholic and Protestant churches together now account for fewer than 50% of the German population, for the first time since reliable records have been kept. Islam, with around 5 million adherents, is the third-largest religion. Buddhism and other traditions have growing communities. The fastest-growing category is none - konfessionslos, without denomination. Germany's religious landscape is genuinely plural and continues to shift rapidly.