Christian churches in sharp decline in Germany

<p>By Ayhan Simsek </p> <p>BERLIN (AA) – Membership in Christian churches is projected to dramatically decline in Germany over the next four decades, according to a study released Thursday. </p> <p>Germany's Catholic and Protestant churches, which currently have about 45 million members, would lose almost half their members by 2060, researchers from the Albert-Ludwig University of Freiburg concluded.</p> <p>The Catholic Church (DBK) would have an estimated 12.3 million members in 2060, while the Evangelical Church in Germany (EKD) would have 10.5 million members, according to the study. </p> <p>The aging population, high number of church withdrawals, and decline in infant baptisms were listed as the main reasons for the downward trend.</p> <p>Currently, around two-thirds of Germany’s 83 million population are Christians, including members of the Evangelical Church, the Protestant Free Churches, and the Orthodox Churches. </p> <p>Another third of Germans either ascribe to no religious belief or belong to another religion. </p> <p>Muslims are Germany’s third-largest religious community, with a population of an estimated 5 million. The country is also home to around 200,000 Jews. </p>