As Americans observe Ramadan, Easter and Passover, the trend of declining religious service attendance persists, according to recent findings from Gallup and the Pew Research Center. The latest Gallup poll highlights a notable decrease across multiple faiths in the U.S., with only 30% of Americans now attending weekly services — a drop from 42% two decades ago.
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Christianity, though still predominant, has seen a significant reduction in adherence among the adult population, declining by 12% since 2011. This trend is especially evident among Protestants, whose participation has decreased by 10% in the last decade.
Conversely, Muslim attendance at mosque services has seen a 4% increase, and Jewish attendance at synagogue services has risen by 7% over the past 20 years.
Gallup analysts link the overall decline in attendance to a growing segment of the American population identifying with no religion — a group that has expanded by 12% in the same timeframe, encompassing atheists and agnostics.
Despite this general downturn, religious holidays still attract larger congregations to places of worship.
[LAUREN TAYLOR]
AS AMERICANS OBSERVE RAMADAN, EASTER, AND PASSOVER, RELIGIOUS SERVICE ATTENDANCE CONTINUES ITS DECLINE – THAT’S ACCORDING TO THE LATEST GALLUP POLL AND insights FROM THE PEW RESEARCH CENTER.
CURRENTLY, ONLY 30% OF AMERICANS ATTEND WEEKLY, DOWN FROM 42% JUST 20 YEARS AGO.
CHRISTIANITY, WHILE STILL THE MAJORITY RELIGION IN THE STATES, HAS SEEN ITS SHARE OF THE ADULT POPULATION DECREASE BY 12 POINTS SINCE 2011. THIS DECLINE IS PARTICULARLY PRONOUNCED AMONG PROTESTANTS, WHOSE NUMBERS HAVE DROPPED BY 10 POINTS IN THE LAST DECADE.
AND WHILE MOST GROUPS SAW DECREASES — MUSLIM ATTENDANCE AT MOSQUE SERVICES INCREASED 4%, WHILE JEWISH ATTENDANCE AT SYNAGOGUE SERVICES ROSE FROM 7% OVER THE PAST 20 YEARS.
GALLUP SAYS DECLINING ATTENDANCE IS CLOSELY TIED TO THE RISING NUMBER OF AMERICANS WHO IDENTIFY WITH NO RELIGION AT ALL. THE PERCENTAGE OF AMERICANS WITHOUT A RELIGIOUS AFFILIATION LIKE ATHEISTS AND AGNOSTICS HAS GROWN 12% OVER THE SAME PERIOD.
DESPITE THESE TRENDS, RELIGIOUS HOLIDAYS CONTINUE TO DRAW LARGER CROWDS TO PLACES OF WORSHIP WITH MANY AMERICANS.
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