Hannah Felsbourg
14 April 2025
Hundreds of thousands of Australians are quietly turning to Christianity despite a national trend of declining religious affiliation, new research has revealed.
Nearly 785,000 Australians who identified as having no religion in the 2016 Census listed Christianity in 2021, according to a study released by social research firm McCrindle.
The findings challenge the prevailing narrative that Australia is becoming increasingly secular, instead uncovering what researchers call an undercurrent of faith.
McCrindle Research founder Mark McCrindle said the data revealed a profound search for meaning beneath Australia’s seemingly secular surface.
“In a culture often perceived as post-Christian, it’s significant that hundreds of thousands of Australians are turning towards Christianity, even while others turn away from it,” Mr McCrindle said.
The research combines analysis of the Australian Census Longitudinal Dataset with a nationally representative survey of over 3000 Australians.
Surprisingly, the growth in Christian identification is not being driven by overseas migration but predominantly by Australians aged 55 and older.
Between 2016 and 2021, the number of Australians aged 55 and over who changed from no religion to Christianity increased by 48 per cent to nearly 195,000.
The research also revealed that while younger generations are less likely to identify as Christian overall, those who do are far more committed to regular church attendance.
More than 70 per cent of Generation Y Christians and 68 per cent of Generation Z Christians attend church at least monthly, compared to just 26 per cent of Baby Boomers who identify as Christian.
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“These aren’t just shifts in census data—they represent real spiritual journeys,” Mr McCrindle said.
“Particularly for younger Australians, identifying as Christian today is a meaningful decision that typically leads to active church involvement.”
Ocean Grove and Barwon Heads vicar the Reverend Liz Rankin said she had witnessed this spiritual searching firsthand in her parish.
“Last year, we had a period where people were walking in off the street because they felt a sense they were needing to come to church,” Ms Rankin said.
She said a 42-year-old man arrived shortly after Easter last year, came to faith, and was confirmed only a few weeks ago.
Ms Rankin also mentioned two young families who approached the church requesting baptism.
“The thing that struck me was they see the darkness in the world, and they believe that they need to choose the light,” she said.
“The light that they had known as young children was actually Jesus, so they thought they needed to come back to church to find out more about Jesus and to choose his ways.”
The report found people who have recently experienced major life transitions such as bereavement, separation or divorce are among the most likely to turn to Christianity.
McCrindle senior researcher Shannon Wherrett said Australians were increasingly seeking spiritual connection and meaning in their lives.
She said people were drawn to Christianity primarily through personal spiritual experiences and the search for purpose.
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However, the research also identified factors driving people away from faith, with disappointment in church leadership being paramount.
Just over half (51 per cent) of those who moved away from Christianity cited disappointment in the church due to a lack of accountability, hypocrisy and dishonesty as a key reason.
Among younger people, the primary reason for leaving faith was that religion was no longer relevant or meaningful to their lives (49 per cent).
Despite this movement away from Christianity, Australians appear increasingly open to spiritual exploration.
The proportion of Australians open to changing their religious views has more than doubled since 2011, from 8 per cent to 19 per cent.
Ms Rankin said it felt like the Spirit was stirring in people very deeply and prompting them to search for answers.
“I think younger people are looking for an authenticity in faith and in people,” Ms Rankin said.
“People … are questioning and saying, ‘Something’s going on spiritually for me and church seems to be the place that I need to come to try and work out what’s happening.’”
According to McCrindle, the research suggests that as cultural Christianity declines, what remains may be a smaller but more committed core of believers alongside a growing population open to spiritual exploration.
“Australians are looking for hope, for purpose, for something beyond themselves,” Mr McCrindle said.
“And for many, Christianity is where they’re finding it.”
McCrindle’s full An Undercurrent of Faith report is available to download here.
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