Religion takes a back seat as secularism pulls ahead

Wednesday, 12 March 2025

Beyond the Postcode is a series diving into the rich data of the 2023 Census to see what it tells us about the people and places of the South Island. Today LIZ MCDONALD looks at religion.

There’s not as much Christ in Christchurch as there used to be, and not as much church either.

In a city designed as an Anglican settlement in the 1840s, the 2023 census revealed less than a third of its population now identifies as Christian, while less than half have any religious affiliation at all.

It’s the first ever census to count more secular than religious residents, and reveals a city with changing beliefs and a small but fast-growing number of adherents to eastern faiths.

The 56% who chose no religion in Christchurch, Selwyn and Waimakariri was a big shift from a decade earlier, when only 42% ticked that box. The trend extended across the South Island.

Closer examination reveals Christchurch’s most heathen suburb is Lyttelton, where 71% chose no religion, followed by Beckenham, Huntsbury and New Brighton with between 70% and 65%.

Most likely to be worshipful are residents of Sockburn and Yaldhurst, where only 44% state no religion, with Wigram, Northwood, Addington-Middleton, and Harewood, at between 45% and 47%.

Poet, speaker and former broadcaster Gary McCormick has been a Lyttelton identity for 24 years and says its very secular status is “no surprise”.

“There’s a counter-culture element in Lyttelton - there’s a lot of free thinkers and it’s always been that way,“ he says.

“I’d put myself in that category - as a person who’s interested in creative ideas you can’t be someone who is hide-bound by someone else’s.“

McCormick says Lyttelton has a strong level of community support and involvement, partly because of its geographical separateness, and a sense of “not wanting to be told what to do by the powers that be”.

John McLister, who grew up in Lyttelton and is now vicar of St Saviour’s at Holy Trinity Anglican Church, has no problem with Lyttelton being “the heathen capital” .

“I talk to a lot of people who are not religious, but are deeply spiritual,” he says.

“I don’t see secularism as a negative. A lot of church attendance used to be inherited, it was often forced on you. We are in a very healthy position now where people can actually choose freely. They want to be here.”

The church has a Sunday attendance of 15 to 20 people, out of a congregation of about 30, and Lister is also chaplain for seafarers.

Lyttelton once had about six churches, until the earthquakes destroyed the last three. Only the Anglicans re-established, bringing the old St Saviour’s church back over the hill from Christchurch.

“Numbers were small, but our congregation stuck to their guns and said ‘we want a church here’.”

The census shows other South Island regions show a similar trend as Christchurch, with 59% non-religious in Nelson-Marlborough, 57% on the West Coast, 51% in Mid-South Canterbury, and 59% in Otago-Southland.

University of Canterburyassociate professor Michael Grimshaw, who specialises in religion and culture, says the 2023 census recorded several things going on at once.

“The results are no surprise. This is happening across the western world.”

Grimshaw says visible trends include a decline of institutional religion, an increased interest in evangelical religions among younger generations, and a rise in spirituality. Those listing no religion are not necessarily atheists, he says.

Millennials and Gen Z are seeking something traditional religion lacks, Grimshaw says.

“There’s a social function that the churches are providing for these people that they are not getting in wider society.”

Grimshaw says more people are also being drawn towards alternative movements, including online, that promote spirituality, wellbeing, and mindfulness.

“We are seeing a shift from religion into spirituality. But being spiritual is not really being asked in the census. New Zealand is quite a new age country, and has been for about 120 years.”

He says Christchurch “hasn’t been an Anglican city for a long time, as the church’s inability to raise enough money to restore the Cathedral shows”.

The census records 2500 greater Christchurch residents identifying with spiritualism or a new age religion, while another 1400 ticked the box for Māori religions, beliefs and philosophies

Immigration has a two-fold effect on the census results, he says. An increase in adherents to Hinduism, Islam, Buddhism, Sikh and other eastern religions is amplified by the larger than average number of children in those communities.

As well, for many migrant communities their ethnic, cultural and religious identities are intertwined, he says, and withdrawing from the religion can mean loss of family and community.

Of those the 32% in Christchurch identifying as Christian, Catholicism is the largest faith, due largely to immigration from the Philippines, with the 49,000 Catholics making up 8% of the population. Anglicans number 31,000 (5%) and Presbyterians 18,000.

The city’s evangelical churches such as Arise, Life Church, Grace Vineyard and Majestic attract a younger congregation with music, fellowship and shared food. Some encourage donations or tithing through apps such as Tithe.ly or PushPay.

Christchurch has almost 10,000 Hindus (1.8% of the population), 6000 Muslims, and 5000 Buddhists. The city’s 4500 Sikhs are the fastest-rising group as migrants settle from the Indian state of Punjab, and a new temple is planned west of the city.

The religions chosen by the lowest number of residents were Druids and Destiny’s Church, with 21 people each.

Grimshaw says abuse within religious institutions has certainly affected trust, but “the question is whether the decline in  trust in organised religion has resulted in a decline of faith”.

“The issue is primarily a western Christian one because we have been able and willing to separate religion off from culture. When religion is seen and experienced as a choice, then a decline in trust sees a decline in participation.”