In recent years, there has been a steady decline in the number of Americans who identify as Christian. This has been a cause for concern for many, but a new survey conducted by the Pew Research Center has revealed that this decline may be slowing down. The survey, titled the Religious Landscape Study, found that 62% of U.S. adults still identify as Christians, a significant dip from 78% in 2007, but a relatively stable number since 2019.
According to the survey, the rise of the religiously unaffiliated, also known as the “nones”, has also reached a plateau. Approximately 29% of U.S. adults identify as religiously unaffiliated, including those who identify as atheist, agnostic, or “nothing in particular”. While this number is still significant, it shows signs of slowing down compared to previous years.
Gregory Smith, one of the co-authors of the study, finds it striking that there has been a recent period of stability in American religion after a long period of decline. However, he also points out that it is uncertain whether this stability will be a lasting change in the country’s religious trajectory.
Despite the decline in religious affiliation, the survey also revealed that a majority of Americans still hold a spiritual outlook. In fact, 83% of Americans believe in God or a universal spirit, and 86% believe in the existence of a soul or spirit. Additionally, seven in 10 Americans believe in the concept of heaven, hell, or both.
However, the survey also highlighted a significant age gap when it comes to religious affiliation. While a majority of older adults identify as Christian, only 46% of the youngest adults do. The youngest adults are also three times more likely to be religiously unaffiliated compared to the oldest group. This trend has been a major driving force behind the long-term decline of American religion, according to Smith. As older generations pass away, they are being replaced by younger generations who are less religious than their parents and grandparents.
Michele Margolis, a political scientist at the University of Pennsylvania, notes that this trend of young adults moving away from religion is not uncommon. However, as they get married and have children, there is a possibility that they may return to organized religion. This raises the question of whether the youngest adults will continue to reject organized religion or if they will eventually return to it as they age.
The Pew survey also highlighted the intersection of partisan politics and religious identity. It found that the decline in U.S. Christianity and the rise of the “nones” is more evident among political liberals. In fact, 51% of liberals now claim no religion, a significant increase from 2007 when it was only 27%. This trend aligns with the support for traditional, patriarchal gender and family arrangements among political conservatives.
However, the survey also showed that this trend does not apply to all Democrats. Black Americans, in particular, defy the assumption that all Democrats are less religious than Republicans. While a majority of Black Americans identify as Democrats, their rates of religious involvement remain high. This can be attributed to the unique intertwining of religious institutions and politics for different groups in the United States.
The Pew survey also looked into the religious landscape of the U.S. and found that a majority of immigrants to the country are Christian. However, like the overall trend, a quarter of foreign-born U.S. adults also identify as religiously unaffiliated. The survey also revealed an increase in the number of Americans who belong to religions other than Christianity, including Jewish, Muslim, Buddhist, and Hindu.
The survey also delved into the different Christian denominations in the U.S. and found that the two largest Protestant denominations remain the Southern Baptist Convention and the United Methodist Church. However, both of these denominations have also seen a decline in membership since the first Religious Landscape Study in 2007.
The Pew Religious Landscape Study was conducted among a nationally representative sample of 36,908 respondents in all 50 states and the District of Columbia. It was conducted in both English and Spanish between July 2023 and March 2024, with a margin of error of plus or minus 0.8 percentage points.
In conclusion, while the decline of American Christianity and the rise of the “nones” is a cause for concern, the Pew survey provides some hope that this decline may be slowing down. It also sheds light
