(RNS) Religious institutions may be waning in the U.S, but private religious practices like prayer are actually on the rise, a new University of Chicago report reveals.
While weekly attendees of religious services dropped from 32 to 26 percent of the population between 1983 and 2006, people praying daily rose from 54 to 59 percent in the same time period.
“There’s some weakening of traditional religious affiliation and practices such as attending religious services, but there’s a slight increase in belief in the afterlife and a slight increase in the frequency of … prayer,” said Tom Smith, author of “Religious Change around the World,” which was released Friday (Oct. 23).
“It’s partly a transformation, or kind of a recalibration, of what it means to be religious in America, rather than a simple decline.”
In 1973, 69 percent of respondents said they believed in the afterlife. By 2006, 73 percent believed in the hereafter.
Belief in God remains strong, according to a range of surveys, said Smith, the director of the General Social Survey at the university’s National Opinion Research Center.
“If we were just having what secularization theory predicted, then we would be seeing everything going down across the board,” he said.
Instead, while some Americans continue to attend services and be involved in other spiritual practices, others have “redefined” what it means to be religious.
“They no longer think that means they need to go to Mass or services every week, but they still have some type of religious belief and practice, more often personal than organized,” said Smith.
The percentage of people who never have attended a religious service was 22 percent in 2006, a sharp increase from 9 percent in 1972.
Amid changes about how Americans view their own religious life, there has been growing tolerance of those who shun or question religion.
Asked if someone who is “against all churches and religion” should be permitted to speak in their community, 76 percent of respondents agreed in 2008. Just 37 percent agreed with allowing such a speaker in 1954. The percentage who thought such a person should be permitted to teach in a college increased even more dramatically, from 12 percent to 60 percent.
Smith attributes these changes less to any waning of religion and more to “the general growth of tolerance” in the country.
He also drew comparisons between the United States and other parts of the world, finding that, overall, Americans differ with Western Europeans, who tended to have a declining sense of the importance of God.
“Americans aren’t there,” said Smith. “Americans are much more, `I feel close to God.’ `God is important.”‘
The report’s General Social Survey statistics include random samples of adults ranging from 1,500 to 4,500 with a margin of error ranging from plus or minus 2 percentage points to plus or minus 4 percentage points.
Copyright 2009 Religion News Service. All rights reserved. No part of this transmission may be distributed or reproduced without written permission.
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posted October 23, 2009 at 7:00 pm
I rarely give any weight to surveys they usually can be colored by a huge variant from the wording of question to the sample of people chosen and more. But I do know enough about the religious climate of a few areas America included to know that there is a movement afoot. One is people leaving the church for a variety of reasons and whatever the reason from active homosexuals installed in leadership roles to lack of faith in the church overall the outcome is still the same. But on the other hand there is a home church movement that is catching fire and it is so exciting the Acts 2 church is making a come back.
posted October 23, 2009 at 9:05 pm
Folks seem to realize that they don’t need someone to tell them how to worship or when to worship their divine being. More personal involvement and being allowed to make their own decisions on what is real for them and what isn’t. Interesting (and good) that there seems to be more tolerance for those with differing beliefs…with a few exceptions of course…like some intolerant RR’ers who feel THEY have the answers…and no one else does.
posted October 23, 2009 at 10:21 pm
Yes, tolerance is very good and very important. United we stand, divided we fall.
posted October 24, 2009 at 11:49 am
It’s been 500 years – and once more it is time for religion to define itself and distinguish itself from all the other life-sustaining practices. “That’s the way we’ve always done it” carries no authority anymore. So we in the religious community need to think about – and even more, express clearly – what is important and vital about our systems and structures and traditions. I know it is something I think about a lot – and try to work into most of my sermons.
posted October 24, 2009 at 12:19 pm
Good for you, j!
posted October 24, 2009 at 1:42 pm
jest a atheist is cheering how you do your sermons,
posted October 24, 2009 at 5:12 pm
jestrfyl isn’t an atheist, cknuck. He is a very Christian man, from what I have read. He just happens to have different views on what that means is all.
posted October 24, 2009 at 6:01 pm
ck
How many of my colleagues in the pulpit can say they have the same blessing you gave me about nnmns’ comments? Aren’t we supposed to reach out to the folks who are not already in the pew, and not only to the choir? I take it as a note of honor that nnmns and I can speak civilly and as friends even though we have different perspectives. I think that is as it should be. As I’ve said before, it’s not my job to close doors; it is my job to hold the door open, create an inviting place, and welcome everyone who wants to come in.
p.s.
Thanks for the defense. It is good to have friends all over the place. That I am a known associate of pagans and atheists is a GOOD thing! I believe that is what my Boss (not my Admin Assistant or my wife but my Big Boss) wants.
posted October 24, 2009 at 6:52 pm
I haven’t seen that part in the bible jest; I’m just saying when your message is the same as theirs…..
posted October 24, 2009 at 10:43 pm
I see no evidence his message is that of an atheist, just that of a more sensible person than, say, yours.
posted October 25, 2009 at 5:43 pm
Same message, same master.
posted October 25, 2009 at 9:42 pm
Hardly.
posted October 26, 2009 at 10:37 am
ck
“Seek and you will find, Knock and the door will be opened” Matthew 7:7-11. I am not one to give stones or snakes to God’s children who come looking for fellowship and grace.
“When I came to … preach the Good news a door was opened to me” Paul, 2 Corinthians 2:12 I’m the guy holding open the door, so the Good News can be heard by all people rejected in other places.
Too many people see themselves as guardian of the door and bouncer from the gates. At my very core, I believe God does not need us for protection. We are called to invite, encourage, and welcome folks to the table of Christ, to catch a whiff of Spirit, and be strengthened by the presence of God. I would rather sit with the “publicans” and outcasts who welcomed Jesus in their midst than all the Pharisees and Sadducees who thought they were too good for people like that.
posted October 26, 2009 at 11:47 am
Jestrfyl,
Have you read Phylis Tickle’s The Great Emergence? I highly recommend it.
posted October 26, 2009 at 1:17 pm
MReap, just googled Tickle, and listened to her utube; I’m off to buy petfood and “The Great Emergence”. Thanks.
posted October 26, 2009 at 1:51 pm
MReap,
I have read some of Ms Tickle’s works over the years, but not the recent book you suggested. I am of divided heart with the “Emergent Church”. On many levels – and I might even say “on paper” – I appreciate what is said. But I am stuck on the reality of the suburban/anglo aspect of the Emergent church, making it simply one more of many – and we seem to have plenty of denominations, thankyouverymuch. However, I will seek out this book for some further consideration. Our denomination (the UCC) works hard at ecumenism and taking serious its scriptural motto, “That they may all be one”. One of my (many) musings is discerning/discovering ways to integrate some of the Emergent energy and insight with existing church life.
posted October 26, 2009 at 2:15 pm
jest that is just part of what Jesus did, the groovy fun part: who wouldn’t want to do that? The other part of what Jesus did got Him crucified by the very same people you describe. I guess to a jester the part you describe would be appealing but there is much more to being a Christian.
posted October 26, 2009 at 3:11 pm
ck,
What got Jesus crucified was the stubborn resistance from people who believed “That’s the way we’ve always done it” would save them. It did not and it will not. I think a re-reading of the Gospel will show once more that Jesus was far more interested in keeping the doors and minds open than he was in preventing people from awakening to god, faith, and hope. Check in with barTimeus and Zacheus, as well as the Samaritan woman at the well, the “woman bent by disease” and a whole bunch more. Their only credential was a need for hope and relief.
You are too willing to block the door and too quick to deny access, as has been most of the church for hundreds of years. Look what that has gotten – empty pews, hopeless people, violence and despair. My guess is if we open the doors, let people experience a little joy, and lighten their load instead of increasing their burden and guilt, there may be some improvement. If nothing else, the old ways are not working. So this new approach cannot be any worse.
posted October 26, 2009 at 3:12 pm
ck,
What got Jesus crucified was the stubborn resistance from people who believed “That’s the way we’ve always done it” would save them. It did not and it will not. I think a re-reading of the Gospel will show once more that Jesus was far more interested in keeping the doors and minds open than he was in preventing people from awakening to God, faith, and hope. Check in with barTimeus and Zacheus, as well as the Samaritan woman at the well, the “woman bent by disease” and a whole bunch more. Their only credential was a need for hope and relief.
You are too willing to block the door and too quick to deny access, as has been most of the church for hundreds of years. Look what that has gotten – empty pews, hopeless people, violence and despair. My guess is if we open the doors, let people experience a little joy, and lighten their load instead of increasing their burden and guilt, there may be some improvement. If nothing else, the old ways are not working. So this new approach cannot be any worse.
posted October 26, 2009 at 5:18 pm
I will not take my ques from the likes of the right wing bible thumping crowd. They gave us george bush, and I believe we are now facing God’s judgement for bush’s actions!
posted October 26, 2009 at 9:13 pm
jest no one is closing or blocking doors the compromise comes when I can’t tell you from the world. Jesus was a closer all of the instances you mentioned He closed the deal with repentance and a rebirth. (you do remember repent don’t you?) the only rebirth I see is yours over and over away from God to be more like the people you are called to save. they have more influence on you then you have on them. Shake the dust off your feet my friend.
posted November 7, 2009 at 6:23 am
I think Religious institutions may be waning in the U.S, but private religious practices like prayer are actually on the rise, a new University of Chicago report reveals.
posted November 15, 2009 at 1:29 am
“”…What got Jesus crucified…”"
Redefinition, especially of this heretical nature, is dangerous.
Caution; the writer “jestrfyl” will lead the naive reader straight to the gates of Hell. Do not take postings seriously – they are meant to lead away from the Truth, away from the only hope people have for eternal life with their Creator.
“For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish, but have eternal life.”
In no way can this be interpreted to mean Jesus died because some Jews were too conservative.
“And this is the judgment, that the light is come into the world, and men loved the darkness rather than the light; for their deeds were evil.”
Abortion. Homosexual practice and fixation. Divorce. Murder. Rape. Lies. Hate. Sin is sin and no amount of fancy-talk will change that.
God hates sin but loves the sinner only when that sinner repents and surrenders his life to the transformational work of Christ.
posted November 15, 2009 at 1:34 am
“”…Their only credential was a need for hope and relief…”"
…Jesus forgave them and bade them, as they went their ways, to sin no more.