New Zeland, Secular?

The World Values Survey recently published findings from a survey of 85 countries. The survey revealed that New Zealand was one of the most secular (post-modern, post-Christendom) nations in the world, right up there with Japan and Sweden.

Today, Dr Kevin Ward from Knox College cites in Challenge Weekly recent statistics by UMR Research showing that New Zealand is far from a secular nation. He says that 56% of Kiwis believe in God and 51% said they believed God had some involvement in creation.

He also states that church attendance is likely to be in the high 20%. This of course represents a gap between stated belief and actual practice. He says, "In a culture where church attendance is still viewed positively, people answer questions in a way the culture indicates they should answer."

I find this opinion that church going is still viewed as positive in this country as baffling. I couldn't disagree more and in fact would say the exact opposite, that church going is viewed by the general (secular) public as completely irrelevant and archaic.

If church going was viewed so popularly, why don't more people go? It certainly is nowhere near the high 20s as he states in the article. It can't possibly be. That would mean that over 1 million people go to church regularly. If there are 2,000 churches in New Zealand (a guess), then that would mean 575 people per church. There certainly aren't 575 people in my church.

It's not the belief in God that makes us secular or not secular, it's the gap between stated belief and practice. This is a very unchristian country, with ever decreasing tolerance for religion and Christians.

The church must admit this and look at how to change it.