Religious Trends

“Globally, evangelicals number 660 million and represent 26% of the world’s Christian population, according to estimates from researcher Sebastian Fath. In addition, the research fellow at the National Center for Scientific Research in France and specialist in the study of evangelicalism says more than 60% of evangelicals live in Asia or Africa.” - F&T

“A new study from Nashville-based LifeWay Research found 1 in 5 Protestant churchgoers (19%) say they typically travel to church alone. Most travel to church with their spouse (54%), while close to a third say their child or children ride with them (31%).” - F&T

“Paul Djupe and Ryan Burge, co-authors of the Religion in Public blog, have analyzed data seemingly showing that the growth of ‘nones’ (combining atheists, agnostics, and those “nothing in particular”) could actually be ‘slowing or possibly even slightly reversing.’” - FaithWire

“It almost seems counterintuitive. While significant portions of the country jettison religion, others are increasingly identifying with a more devout expression of the faith.

“Among those who never come to church, the share of Republicans has stayed exactly the same (27.3%) over the last 40 years, while the share of Democrats has dropped 7 percentage points, and independents have risen 7 points.

“Benedict’s concerns prefigured the themes of Religion News Service’s coverage for the rest of the 2010s. A look back at the stories that drove religion news in the past 10 years” - RNS

“[E]very 10 years, the Association of Statisticians of American Religious Bodies (ASARB) counts and maps religious congregations in the US.” - Christianity Today

“And, again, researchers found that Christians — as well as Jews and people of no faith — live in the smallest households.

“Traditional churches tend to hold onto their attendance numbers better than most. Young adults in search of a moral foundation want theological consistency, and they’re drifting toward churches that can offer both.” - Washington Examiner

“Lukewarm Christianity may be declining much more dramatically than intense religiosity.” - New York Times