In short
Faith among young people in Germany is shifting sharply. Belief in God is important to only 38% of Catholic youth, down from just over half in 2002, while among Muslim youth the figure rose from 72% to 79%, according to the Shell Jugendstudie 2024. At the same time, 49% of 12 to 25 year olds never pray, up from 29% in 2002. 41% of 16 to 24 year olds firmly intend to leave the church (Bertelsmann Religionsmonitor), and about 60% of 14 to 29 year olds do not believe in a personal God (Allensbach).
- Belief in God is important to only 38% of Catholic youth, down from just over half (about 51%) in 2002 (Shell Jugendstudie 2024).
- Among Muslim youth, by contrast, the figure rose from 72% to 79% (Shell Jugendstudie 2024).
- 49% of 12 to 25 year olds never pray, up from 29% in 2002 (Shell Jugendstudie 2024).
- 41% of 16 to 24 year olds firmly intend to leave the church (Bertelsmann Religionsmonitor), and about 60% of 14 to 29 year olds do not believe in a personal God (Allensbach).
Nowhere is the change in faith in Germany clearer than among the youngest. The Shell Jugendstudie 2024 documents a clear divide: among Christian youth faith is losing importance, while among Muslim youth it remains central and is even rising. Belief in God is important to only 38% of Catholic youth, down from just over half in 2002, while among Muslim youth the figure rose to 79%. At the same time, almost half of 12 to 25 year olds no longer pray at all, and many intend to leave the church. The figures below draw on the Shell Jugendstudie 2024, the Bertelsmann Religionsmonitor, and the Institut fuer Demoskopie Allensbach, the most authoritative sources on youth and faith in Germany.
of 16 to 24 year olds firmly intend to leave the church
Key findings at a glance
| Metric | Value | Year | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Catholic youth: belief in God is important | 38% | 2024 | Shell Jugendstudie 2024 |
| Muslim youth: belief in God is important | 79% | 2024 | Shell Jugendstudie 2024 |
| 12 to 25 year olds who never pray | 49% | 2024 | Shell Jugendstudie 2024 |
| Young Muslims who pray daily | 37% | 2024 | Shell Jugendstudie 2024 |
| 16 to 24 year olds firmly intending to leave | 41% | 2024 | Bertelsmann Religionsmonitor |
| 14 to 29 year olds not believing in a personal God | about 60% | 2025 | Institut fuer Demoskopie Allensbach |
The Christian versus Muslim youth divide
The most striking finding of the Shell Jugendstudie 2024 is a widening divide. Among Christian youth, belief in God has been losing importance for years, while among Muslim youth it remains central and is even rising slightly. The two largest groups of young believers in Germany are moving in opposite directions.
Belief in God is important to 38% of Catholic youth in 2024, down from just over half (about 51%) in 2002, according to the Shell Jugendstudie 2024.
Belief in God is important to 79% of Muslim youth in 2024, up from 72% in 2002, according to the Shell Jugendstudie 2024.
| Statistic | Value | Year | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Catholic youth: belief in God is important | 38% | 2024 | Shell Jugendstudie 2024 |
| Catholic youth: belief in God is important (2002) | about 51% | 2002 | Shell Jugendstudie 2024 |
| Muslim youth: belief in God is important | 79% | 2024 | Shell Jugendstudie 2024 |
| Muslim youth: belief in God is important (2002) | 72% | 2002 | Shell Jugendstudie 2024 |
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Prayer and practice among the young
Declining belief shows up in practice. Almost half of 12 to 25 year olds no longer pray at all, and that share has risen clearly since 2002. Among Muslim youth, by contrast, prayer is a firm part of daily life: many pray daily or at least weekly.
49% of 12 to 25 year olds never pray in 2024, up from 29% in 2002, according to the Shell Jugendstudie 2024.
37% of young Muslims pray daily and another 26% pray weekly, according to the Shell Jugendstudie 2024.
| Statistic | Value | Year | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| 12 to 25 year olds who never pray | 49% | 2024 | Shell Jugendstudie 2024 |
| 12 to 25 year olds who never pray (2002) | 29% | 2002 | Shell Jugendstudie 2024 |
| Young Muslims who pray daily | 37% | 2024 | Shell Jugendstudie 2024 |
| Young Muslims who pray weekly | 26% | 2024 | Shell Jugendstudie 2024 |
Leaving the church, and what comes next
Weaker ties also show in affiliation. Only about half of 12 to 25 year olds still belong to one of the two big churches, and many young adults firmly intend to leave. Representative surveys by the Institut fuer Demoskopie Allensbach further show that a majority of young adults no longer believe in a personal God.
41% of 16 to 24 year olds firmly intend to leave the church, according to the Bertelsmann Religionsmonitor.
About 60% of 14 to 29 year olds do not believe in a personal God in 2025, according to the Institut fuer Demoskopie Allensbach.
| Statistic | Value | Year | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| 16 to 24 year olds firmly intending to leave | 41% | 2024 | Bertelsmann Religionsmonitor |
| 14 to 29 year olds not believing in a personal God | about 60% | 2025 | Institut fuer Demoskopie Allensbach |
| 12 to 25 year olds in one of the big churches | about 50% | 2024 | Shell Jugendstudie 2024 |
| 12 to 25 year olds in one of the big churches (2002) | about two thirds | 2002 | Shell Jugendstudie 2024 |
How we compiled these statistics
Every number on this page is traceable to a primary source and dated to the year the data were collected. The figures on belief, prayer, and church ties among young people come from the Shell Jugendstudie 2024, which surveyed 2,509 young people born between 1998 and 2012; the Shell 2024 figures are each set against the 2002 comparison figure. The firm intention to leave among 16 to 24 year olds comes from the Bertelsmann Religionsmonitor (forsa survey), and the share of 14 to 29 year olds who do not believe in a personal God from the Institut fuer Demoskopie Allensbach (2025). Where data years differ, we use the most recent published year and label it.
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