Young religious people form the minority

Slightly fewer than half of all people aged between 12 and 25 responded in 2009 that they had a religious denomination. This share has fallen by 6 percent points since 1997. Church attendance is low among young people. About one in seven goes to church or to a religious gathering at least once a month.

Religious affiliation and church attendance among young people, 2009

Little church attendance by 18-25 year-olds

There are differences in church attendance and religious affiliation among the group of young people. For example, 54 percent of the 12-18 year-olds were religious in 2009, and 45 percent of the 18-25 year-olds.
Church attendance is lower among 18-25 year-olds: 11 percent goes to church or to a religious gathering at least once a month, compared to 17 percent of the 12-18 year-olds.

Compared to the over 25s, of whom an average of 57 percent is religious and 18 percent goes to church or to a religious gathering at least once a month, decidedly fewer the 18-25 year-olds are religious.

Church attendance among young people, 2005/2009

Young Protestants are the most frequent churchgoers

In the period 2005-2009 just over one in five young people was Roman-Catholic, one in seven Protestant and just under one in ten Muslim.

Among the young religious people, the Protestants are the most regular church goers with 52 percent. Just 11 percent of the young Roman-Catholics percent goes to church each month. About 35 percent of young Muslims attend services in Mosques.
In general more religious 12-18 than 18-25 year olds go to church.

Jacqueline van Beuningen and Saskia te Riele