US Religion Census Maps Changing Churches, Declining Denominations
Body
“[E]very 10 years, the Association of Statisticians of American Religious Bodies (ASARB) counts and maps religious congregations in the US.” - Christianity Today
Pew research: “Christians — as well as Jews and people of no faith — live in the smallest households.”
Body
“And, again, researchers found that Christians — as well as Jews and people of no faith — live in the smallest households.
Discussion
“Young adults want authenticity, which is why, according to a recent poll, 67% of millennials said they’d prefer a ‘classic’ church over a ‘trendy’ one.”
Body
“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
Discussion
Ross Douthat: The Overstated Collapse of American Christianity
Body
“Lukewarm Christianity may be declining much more dramatically than intense religiosity.” - New York Times
Discussion
Pew: In U.S., Decline of Christianity Continues at Rapid Pace
Body
“65% of American adults describe themselves as Christians when asked about their religion, down 12 percentage points over the past decade. Meanwhile, the religiously unaffiliated share of the population, consisting of people who describe their religious identity as atheist, agnostic or ‘nothing in particular,’ now stands at 26%, up from 17% in 2009.” - Pew
Discussion
Atheism is declining, says report; what should Christians do?
Body
“According to the [Center for the Study of Global Christianity] report, atheism reached its peak in 1970, with over 165 million atheists worldwide. Since then, atheism has been steadily decreasing, with 138 million today, a number that’s expected to drop to 129 million by 2050.” - Christian Post
Discussion
“Millions of Americans have abandoned religion, only to re-create it everywhere they look”
Body
“Although belief in God is no panacea for these problems, religion is more than a theism. It is a bundle: a theory of the world, a community, a social identity, a means of finding peace and purpose, and a weekly routine.
Discussion
Is American Christianity on Its Last Legs? The Data Say Otherwise.
Body
“Two recent books have taken up these questions in a markedly optimistic spirit: Glenn Stanton’s The Myth of the Dying Church: How Christianity is Actually Thriving in America and the World and Rick Richardson’s You Found Me: New Research on How Unchurched Nones, Millennials, and Irreligious are Surprisingly Open to Christian Faith.” - Christi
Discussion
“According to recent surveys from both Gallup and Pew Research, more Americans than before have a negative opinion of church.”
Body
“According to recent surveys from both Gallup and Pew Research, more Americans than before have a negative opinion of church.” - Facts & Trends
Discussion
Image
Discussion