Losing Faith
>> Saturday, March 14, 2009
According to the "American Religious Identification Survey" of 54,000 people in 2008 (conducted by Trinity College, Hartford, Conneticut), America is gradually losing its faith.
The survey found that 15% of respondents said they had no religion, compared to 8.2% in 1990. According to the same survey, Christians make up 76% of the U.S. adult population, compared to 86% in 1990.
The survey showed an across-the-board decrease in all major Christian denominations. Roman Catholicism is claimed by 25.1 percent of the population (was 26.2% in 1990); Baptists made up 15.8% (was 19.3% in 1990); and mainline Protestant denominations — Methodist, Lutheran, Presbyterian, Episcopalian and United Church of Christ — dropped from 18.7% in 1990 to 12.9% in 2008.
One group that did increase in relevance was “non-denominational” Christianity, which claimed just 0.1 percent of the population in 1990 and increased to more than 3.5 percent in 2008. Many of those who claimed this identity belong to “mega churches” that are known for using rock-style music and less structured services.
"There is now this shift in the non-Catholic population -- and maybe among American Christians in general -- into a sort of generic, soft evangelicalism," said Mark Silk, who directs Trinity's Program on Public Values and helped supervise the survey.
The survey substantiated several general trends already identified by sociologists: the slipping importance of denomination in America, the growing number of people who say they have "no" religion and the increase in religious minorities including Muslims, Mormons and such movements as Wicca and paganism.
The survey results are really not a surprise to those of us who have been deeply involved in church development and spend time seeking to understand our culture. I just wish there was a way to monitor more short-term developments, especially during the current economic crisis. Will more Americans seek God during difficult times, or will they pull away from him?
You can read the full article at the Washington Post.
My name is Scott Heine, and I'm on a life-long journey to become more like Jesus and to share his life-changing love with others. I'm the Pastor of Hope Christian Fellowship in Warrenton, Virginia — a great church family full of terrific people. My wife, Margo, and I have three teenage kids: Benjamin, Elizabeth, and Rebecca, along with a couple of spoiled English Springer Spaniels named Dixie & Rose.
2 comments:
Hi Scott! It has been a while since I ventured to your blog. It is good to catch up! I like the new layout!
I find this article interesting. I am wondering just what people's definition of religion/religious is. I think that would play a big part in how I would respond to the survey. Do I think more and more people are becoming discontent with "religion" and "religious" activities. I do. Is this bad? If I were asked what my religion was or if I am religious I would answer that I do not "have a religion" I am hoping that I become less and less "religious" but though I do not have a religion I do have Jesus. Though I am learning to shed the religiousness I am learning to trust Jesus/God more and more. I noticed that these questions were asked in the survey.... "Twenty-seven percent of those interviewed said they did not expect to have a religious funeral or service when they died, and 30 percent of people who had married said their service was not religious. Those questions weren't asked in previous surveys." If I was asked if my wedding ceremony was religious I would answer no. Yet Jesus was there and a part of it. If I was asked if I expect to have a religious funeral or service I too would answer no. But will I have a service that I hope will celebrate Jesus and my life in Him. Absolutely! Maybe others are similar or maybe not. Just a thought that these findings might not actually fully reflect what is going on. What do you think?
Hi, Lindsay! Great to connect with you!
I totally agree with your distinction between being "religious" and having an authentic, intimate relationship with Jesus. I'd define things the same way -- in fact, it's at the focus of what we're talking about at Hope this coming weekend.
As for the accuracy of the study, your guess is as good as mine. Anecdotally, I see a lot of truth in the trends that are identified. And with 54,000 participants, it's certainly a broad enough sampling to have validity. But considering the survey seems to have identified "religious" trends at least in terms of church participation and theological beliefs, I suspect they're correct in seeing an increasing secularization of America.
Personally, I see it as an even greater opportunity (and responsibility!) to share God's life-changing grace in a compassionate and compelling way with a world that desperately needs to experience his love.
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