Despite years of headlines emphasising religious decline, new data is pointing to a quiet but significant trend: Australians are returning to Christianity in surprising numbers—and not just the elderly or immigrants.
A recent report by McCrindle Research, An Undercurrent of Faith, reveals that between the 2016 and 2021 Australian Census, more than 784,000 people who had previously identified as having “no religion” now identify as Christians. That amounts to one in ten people from the non-religious category switching to Christianity in just five years.
The trend defies conventional narratives. Contrary to the belief that immigration is propping up Christian numbers, the majority of these new Christians are Australian-born, with older Australians—those over 55—making up the largest demographic returning to the faith. According to McCrindle, this age group saw a 48% increase in people moving from no religion to Christianity during the period.
However, it’s not just the older generations. Younger Australians, particularly Gen Z, are showing signs of deep engagement once they adopt the faith. While Gen Z and Millennials are less likely overall to identify as Christian, those who do are significantly more committed than older believers. McCrindle’s data shows that 68% of Gen Z Christians attend church at least monthly, compared to only 26% of Baby Boomers.
“If you look at all of the baby boomers… only 26% of them go to church,” said McCrindle founder Mark McCrindle. “They’re more likely to tick the box and not go to church than actually go to church. But when you get down to the youngest generation, Generation Z… 68% of them go to church, so the point is at least 2/3 of young people who tick Christian in the census form follow that up by regular church attendance.”
“This suggests that cultural Christianity is declining, but convictional Christianity is on the rise,” McCrindle added. “People are no longer ticking the Christian box out of tradition—they’re doing it because they actually believe it.”
The research, based on the Australian Census Longitudinal Data Set and a national survey of over 3,000 Australians, also found that two-thirds of the population remain either Christian or warm towards Christianity, despite a drop in official affiliation.
Top reasons for turning to Christianity include a desire for personal meaning, spiritual connection, and answers to life’s bigger questions. Many cited dissatisfaction with secular frameworks and a longing for something transcendent.
Still, the Church faces challenges. About 19% of Christians left the faith between 2016 and 2021, with that figure climbing to 36% among 15-24 year-olds. Reasons for leaving included disappointment with church leadership and a belief that Christianity was no longer relevant.
“We’ve asked people who’ve moved away from Christianity, what were the reasons that you moved away?” said McCrindle’s Grant Dusting. “For many, leaving Christianity wasn’t about a change in belief, but dissatisfaction with how the faith is practised.”
Yet even among those who left, many reported that their beliefs had not fundamentally changed—only their perception of how Christianity was being practised.
“There’s an opportunity and a challenge there for all rank-and-file Christians… to say, ‘How am I living out the Christian message in its truth and beauty and goodness?’” Dusting continued. “There’s an opportunity here. People aren’t walking away because they reject Jesus. Many are leaving because they haven’t seen Christianity lived out well.”
As Australia becomes more post-traditional but not post-spiritual, the data suggests a cultural moment ripe for engagement, not retreat. Christianity in the country may be smaller in official numbers, but it’s arguably becoming deeper, more personal, and more generationally dynamic.
