Only a fifth of Christians actually go to church

We asked participants: ‘Apart from weddings, baptisms/christenings and funerals, how often, if at all, did you go to a church service in the last year?’

Given options ranging between 'daily' and 'never', a total of 19 per cent selected 'a few times a week', 'about once a week', 'about once a fortnight' or 'about once a month'. Just under 44 per cent said they went less than monthly but not never, while 37 per cent said they never went to church at all.

These figures, of course, are for people who self-identify as Christians.

Not going to church doesn't mean that people don't believe. It might mean that they've lost the habit, or had a bad experience, or that it's not been part of their lives. It might mean, too, that they're 'warmer' towards faith than we might think.

Pie chart
Data table

	Daily/almost daily	A few times a week	About once a week	About once a fortnight	About once a month	A few times a year	About once a year	Hardly ever	Never
Total	0.24%	1.67%	4.79%	1.13%	1.37%	6.66%	6.62%	13.56%	63.95%

Stack chart
Data table

Bible Loving

Bible Infrequent

Bible Nostalgic

Bible Uncertain

Bible Conflicted

Bible Cultural

Bible Indifferent

Bible Dismissive

	Daily/almost daily	A few times a week	About once a week	About once a fortnight	About once a month	A few times a year	About once a year	Hardly ever	Never
Bible Loving	2.32%	25.31%	44.31%	4.57%	2.82%	7.94%	2.5%	4.2%	6.03%
Bible Infrequent	0.78%	2.77%	20.97%	5.51%	6.23%	19.91%	9.52%	18.66%	15.66%
Bible Nostalgic	0.09%	0.25%	4.19%	1.93%	3.24%	15.14%	13.6%	27.78%	33.79%
Bible Uncertain	0.08%	0.09%	1.87%	0.85%	1.4%	11.29%	9.18%	23.43%	51.81%
Bible Conflicted	0.76%	4.2%	7.21%	3.13%	4.07%	13.02%	8.95%	20.39%	38.28%
Bible Cultural	0.04%	0.1%	0.84%	0.29%	0.67%	5.57%	7.18%	21.44%	63.87%
Bible Indifferent	0.02%	0%	0.22%	0.12%	0.24%	3.03%	5.43%	10.89%	80.05%
Bible Dismissive	0.02%	0.04%	0.05%	0.08%	0.06%	1.8%	4.34%	5.34%	88.28%