Randy and Katy Smelser

Americans living in Germany but citizens of heaven

Faith in Germany - Stats

Held Accountable?

When we die, is it over or do we have to stand before a Judge (God) and be accountable for the good and bad we did in this life? A poll was taken and the results of those agreeing with the following statement:

I must render an accounting after I die.
24% = total
26% = State Church (Lutheran/Reform)
34% = State Church (Catholic)
41% = "Free" churches (Evangelical)
46% = Muslim
(IDEA 38.2021)

Corona Help

According to the "Cosmo - COVID-19 Snapshot Monitoring" study (IDEA 50.2021) 84.7% of the Germans received no help from a religious group.
4.1% received help with questions on the purpose of life.

The Way to Think

The State Church (Lutheran/Reform) pastors, teachers, and religion school teachers were asked about political-ethical questions from a college in Hanover Germany. The results of those responding that the following statements are important for sermons or lessons.

The top of the list:
87% = Creation preservation through Climate protection
83% = Welcoming immigrants
69% = Tolerance for this of different sexual orientation

The bottom of the list:
27% = Better legislation to protect the unborn
24% = An obligation to the German Christian cultural identity
11% = The traditional family model
(IDEA 50.2021)

The Public TV & Radio stations being objective is something that Germany is proud of. Everyone is required to pay a monthly fee to support it. But after a study came out about the worldview and the political stance of the journalist in the "öffentlich-rechtlichen Rundfunk" (the 21 public TV stations and the 74 public radio stations), there is a question in the air of how objective they are/can be and if they are able to look at different sides to an issue.

If there were elections today how would the journalists vote?
57.1% = Greens
23.4% = The Left (the Communist party)
11.7% = The Social Democrats
2.6% = The Christian Union
1.3% = The Federal Democrats (Libertarians)

The top three are left of the middle. The Social Democrats/Greens/Federal Democrats have formed the new government after the more conservative Angela Merkel (the Christian Union) retired.
(IDEA 45.2021)


Church Life in Germany

A new study came out about Church Life in Germany (IDEA 45.2021).

Attendance in worship service from members:
Conservative Lutheran: 57%
"Free" churches (Evangelical): 40%
Fresh-X-Movement: 17% (new styles of worship to reach younger people)
State Churches: 3% (Lutheran/Reform and Catholic)

"Ängste der Deutschen" What does the German society fear most

In the newspaper was an article about the latest poll as to what the Germans fear (Angst).

This year's winner is not Corona Virus or terrorist or President Trump (all winners in earlier years). This year's winner is:
1. Higher taxes and fewer benefits from the State = 53%
2. Inflation = 50%

In 2016 with 52% it was Terror and the Refugee crisis.

Covid has dropped this year to range 14 with only 35%.

People were ask to rate different subjects 1 - 7. Thus more than one fear can be reported.

Source: Peine Allgemeine Zeitung, Friday, 10. Sept. 2021, p.1

God Rules?

A new poll came out as to what Germans believe about the rule of God.

Belief that God has authority over the world.
Yes - 15%
No - 63%
Don't know - 14%
No answer - 7%

According to religion:
State Church - Lutheran/Reform = 17%
- Roman Catholic = 21%
"free" churches = 43%
Islam = 58%
No Confession = 3%

If God is non-existent and if God is not powerful enough to create the world or mange a virgin birth, then it is no wonder that He does not rule. We humans have to do everything ourselves is the majority believe. For 200 years the Bible and miracles have been under attack from German theology and this is the result.

Source: IDEA 35.2021 (p.6)

State Church losses

The two State Churches (Lutheran/Reform and Roman Catholic) continue to drop in membership number.

In our state of Lower Saxony the number have dropped from 66.5% (2010) to 57.4% (2020).

440,000 members exited the State Churches in 2020. About that meaning also died for a total of 884,000 members lost in one year.

The number of members who attend church has also dropped and in our area it is only about 3% of the members.

Source: IDEA, 29.2021, pp.6-7.

Bodily resurrection of Jesus

The question was asked in a poll as to how many Germans believe in the bodily resurrection of Jesus Christ.

Total = 18% believe it
= 43% do not believe it
= 24% do not know
= 15% no answer

According to religion:

State Churches:
Lutheran/Reform = 23%
Roman Catholic = 29%

Free Churches = 48%

Islam = 12%

Without a religion = 5%


The poll was taken in March 2021 as reported in "IDEA Das christiliche Spektrum 13.2021.

The Bible is the most important book

This last year the church worked through a fascination book about how the Bible formed our society (The Book that made your World; by Vishal Mangalwadi, 2011). So when this poll came out in January I thought it was interesting how people do not even realise how much they as unbelievers have to be grateful for a book, the Bible, that they do not think is so important.
(Umfrage des Markt- und Sozialforschungsinstituts INSA-Consulere -Erfurt; as found in IdeaSpektrum 52/53 2020; page 6)

The Bible is the most important book in world history:

Yes = 21%
No = 55%
Don't know = 16%
No answer = 8%

A break down of those who said yes:
21% = all Germans

State Churches:
31% = Evangelical Lutherans
31% = Catholic

43% = Free churches
5% = Islam
10% = No confession

Theological Higher Criticism has killed the root of our Western Civilisation over the last 200 years. We have not been taught all the good things we enjoy in the West spring out of the Word of Life.