Christianity’s decline in US slowing slightly according to new poll

2 hrs ago

Kennedy Felton Lifestyle Correspondent/Producer

By Kennedy Felton (Lifestyle Correspondent/Producer), Joey Nunez (Video Editor)

A new Pew Research study suggests that fewer Americans identify as Christian, but the decline has stabilized. The study finds that 62% of U.S. adults identify as Christian, down from 78% in 2007, while 29% are religiously unaffiliated.
A growing generational divide shows 80% of Americans over 74 identify as Christian, compared to just 46% of adults aged 18 to 24.
The study finds that immigration has helped slow Christianity’s decline, with 58% of Americans born outside the country identifying as Christian.

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Christianity’s decline in the U.S. may be slowing. A new Pew Research study suggests that fewer Americans identify as Christian, but the drop has stabilized.

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The study, released Wednesday, Feb. 26, finds that 62% of U.S. adults identify as Christian, down from 78% in 2007. Meanwhile, the number of religiously unaffiliated Americans—often called “nones”—has leveled off at 29%.

This group includes atheists, agnostics and those who do not follow a specific faith. Despite past trends showing a steady decline, the new data suggests Christianity’s decline in the U.S. has slowed.

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Younger adults less likely to be Christian

However, a growing generational divide may impact future religious trends. According to the study, 80% of Americans over 74 still identify as Christian, while just 46% of adults aged 18 to 24 do.

The study also finds that 43% of younger adults are religiously unaffiliated, compared to only 13% of older adults. Many of these individuals previously identified as Christian but have since left the faith, according to Pew’s senior director of religion research.

Political divide in religious identity

Religious affiliation also varies along political lines. Liberals are significantly less likely to identify as Christian compared to conservatives. The study finds that a growing percentage of politically progressive Americans now consider themselves religiously unaffiliated.

However, Black Protestant communities remain a stronghold for Christianity despite many members aligning with the Democratic Party. Their continued religious ties help support the overall Christian demographic in the U.S.

Immigration’s role in Christianity’s stability

The report suggests that immigration has helped slow Christianity’s decline in the U.S. The study finds that 58% of Americans born outside the country identify as Christian, compared to declining numbers among native-born citizens.

Women remain more religious than men

Gender also plays a role in religious affiliation. Women continue to report higher levels of religious identity than men, though the study suggests the gap is narrowing.

Other religions see modest growth

While Christianity remains the largest faith group in the U.S., the study notes modest increases in non-Christian religions. Faiths such as Islam, Hinduism and Buddhism have grown slightly, largely due to immigration. Currently, about 6% of Americans identify with a non-Christian religion.

Tags: Conservative, Democratic Party, Immigration, Religion, Republicans

[KENNEDY FELTON]

CHRISTIANITY’S DECLINE IN THE US SLOWS AS GENERATIONAL, POLITICAL SHIFTS RESHAPE FAITH

THE RELIGIOUS LANDSCAPE IN AMERICA IS SHIFTING. WHILE PEOPLE IDENTIFYING AS CHRISTIANS HAS BEEN DECLINING FOR *YEARS… A NEW PEW RESEARCH STUDY SUGGESTS THAT TREND MAY BE SLOWING DOWN.

THE REPORT FROM WEDNESDAY FINDS THAT 62-PERCENT OF U-S ADULTS IDENTIFY AS CHRISTIAN… DOWN FROM 78-PERCENT IN 2007. MEANWHILE.. THE NUMBER OF RELIGIOUSLY UNAFFILIATED AMERICANS – OFTEN CALLED “NONES” – HAS LEVELED OFF AT 29%. THAT GROUP INCLUDES ATHEISTS.. AGNOSTICS… AND THOSE WHO DON’T FOLLOW ANY PARTICULAR FAITH.

BUT THE STUDY ALSO SHOWS A GENERATIONAL DIVIDE. YOUNGER ADULTS AGED 18 TO 24 ARE LESS LIKELY TO IDENTIFY A CHRISTIAN… WHILE OLDER GENERATIONS REMAIN MORE RELIGIOUSLY AFFILIATED. AMONG AMERICANS OVER 74… 80 PERCENT STILL IDENTIFY AS CHRISTIAN COMPARED TO JUST 46 PERCENT OF YOUNGER ADULTS. IN THAT SAME AGE GROUP… 43 PERCENT IDENTIFY AS RELIGIOUSLY UNAFFILIATED.. WHILE ONLY 13 PERCENT OF OLDER ADULTS FALL INTO THAT CATEGORY. THE SENIOR DIRECTOR OF RELIGION AT PEW RESEARCH TELLS N-P-R THAT SOME OF THESE UNAFFILIATED INDIVIDUALS PREVIOUSLY IDENTIFIED AS CHRISTIAN BUT HAVE SINCE LEFT THE FAITH.

THE STUDY ALSO HIGHLIGHTS A POLITICAL DIVIDE IN RELIGIOUS IDENTITY. LIBERALS ARE SIGNIFICANTLY LESS LIKELY TO IDENTIFY AS RELIGIOUS COMPARED TO CONSERVATIVES.. WITH MANY SHIFTING INTO THE RELIGIOUSLY UNAFFILIATED CATEGORY.

AS FOR WHAT MAY BE SLOWING THE OVERALL DECLINE… THE STUDY FINDS THAT MOST IMMIGRANTS IDENTIFY AS CHRISTIAN. 58 PERCENT OF AMERICANS BORN OUTSIDE OF THE COUNTRY REPORT BEING CHRISTIAN.. A FACTOR THAT HELPS STABILIZE CHRISTIAN AFFILIATION RATES.

AS FOR GENDER – WOMEN CONTINUE TO REPORT HIGHER LEVELS OF RELIGIOUS AFFILIATION THAN MEN. THOUGH THE STUDY SHOWS SIGNS OF THE GENDER GAP NARROWING.

AND DESPITE BROADER DECLINES… BLACK PROTESTANT COMMUNITIES HAVE MAINTAINED STRONG RELIGIOUS TIES. THEIR CONTINUED AFFILIATION.. EVEN AS MANY ALIGN WITH MORE LIBERAL POLITICAL VIEWS – … HAS HELPED SUPPORT THE OVERALL CHRISTIAN DEMOGRAPHIC.

WHILE CHRISTIANITY REMAINS THE DOMINANT FAITH IN THE U-S.. THE STUDY REVEALS SMALL GROWTH AMONG OTHER RELIGIOUS GROUPS LIKE JEWS… MUSLIMS… AND BUDDHISTS.