A press release by NCLS Research gives good news for Easter
In December 2022, the Australian Community Survey (2022 ACS) asked Australians if they would go to church this Easter if a close friend or family member invited them.
Four in 10 (42%) Australians would go to an Easter service if invited. A further 19% of those surveyed said they were unsure. Three in ten (29%) Australians said they would not go to an Easter service if invited, and 10% said they have no close friends or family who attend church.
While up to 42% of Australians might go to church at Easter if invited, the actual numbers of Aussies attending Easter services over the last three years are much lower: at just 17%.
“People are more receptive to attending church at a significant time like Easter- so go ahead and invite them.” says NCLS Research Director, Dr Ruth Powell.
Who is more likely to say ‘yes’ to an invitation? Women, people with a university degree and people born in non-English speaking countries were more likely to accept an invitation to an Easter service.
“Interestingly, people from all age groups were equally likely to say ‘yes’ to an invitation,” added Dr Powell.
There were no statistically significant differences between the openness of young adults, those in their middle years and the oldest Australians.
“When having conversations about Easter, churchgoers should be aware that Australians may not know as much about the Christian faith as you might expect,” Dr Powell added.
In the 2022 ACS, four in 10 (41% Australians said they have limited or no familiarity with Christianity. Some six in 10 (59%) believe they have a strong understanding of Christianity’s teaching and values or are familiar with most of them.
When it comes to views about Jesus, around half (53%) of those surveyed said Jesus was a real person who actually lived. A quarter (26%) said they did not know, and one in 5 (21%) said they believed Jesus was a myth or fictional character.
“This lack of awareness about Jesus is perplexing given most historians hold Jesus to be a real figure who lived in first century Palestine,” noted Dr Powell.
Relationships are essential for authentic engagement. The 2022 ACS data shows Easter is an excellent time for churchgoers to invite family and friends to ion Christian celebrations and have respectful conversations about matters of faith.
Image by Gregory Waddell from Pixabay