The slow fall of American Christinaity.

 

The slow fall of American Christianity

By Griffin Hart

JRN 100 News Staff

According to a recent study, America is experiencing a fundamental shift in religious landscape and Christianity has become less central to American life.

According to the 2021 Pew Research Center study About Three-in-Ten U.S. Adults Are Now Religiously Unaffiliated, the percentage of Americans identifying as Christians has been steadily decreasing over the past decade. In 2009, approximately 77% of adults in the United States identified as Christian, whereas by 2023, that number dropped to around 65%. This significant decline represents a fundamental shift in the religious landscape of the nation.

The Research Center found both Protestantism and Catholicism are experiencing losses of population share. Currently, 43% of U.S. adults identify with Protestantism, down from 51% in 2009. And one-in-five adults (20%) are Catholic, down from 23% in 2009.

Pew Research attributes several factors that contribute to this decline. One prominent factor is the rise of the religiously unaffiliated, often referred to as the "nones." This group includes atheists, agnostics, and individuals who identify as spiritual but not religious. Mostly due to a shift in generational values as well as popular culture and influence that people in America are surrounded by.

Rev. Tim Mouton who is a priest at Stonehill College has seen firsthand many of the factors which has led to the decline of Christianity. Changing demographics plays a large role in the decline of Christianity. Younger generations, in particular, are increasingly distancing themselves from organized religion. Millennials and Generation Z are more likely to identify as religiously unaffiliated compared to older generations, reflecting a generational divide in religious beliefs and practices.

“You respect what your parents love, and you tolerate what they respect,” said Rev. Mouton.

Rev. Mouton said this represents the gradual decline of religion in younger generations as kids want to be different from their parents, they tend to gravitate away from things that their parents hold dear. This has escalated over the last two generations and has been a large cause for this religious downturn.

Gregory Smith who is an associate director of research for Pew Research was one of the researchers for this study pointed out many issues surrounding this topic in his contribution to the study. Smith sites that the gradual shift from religion in today’s young people as the cause to the decline in Christianity among average Americans.

“Older generations who are religious are being replaced by non-religious adults,” said Smith.

Societal shifts and cultural changes have contributed to the waning influence of Christianity in American life. As a result, many individuals, especially younger Americans, are turning away from organized religion, viewing it as incompatible with their personal values and beliefs. Smith says this largely due to the fact that as time has gone on it has become more socially acceptable to be religiously unaffiliated. People who were once considered social abnormal for being a religious none are now commonplace as religious affiliation continues to decline.

“Is the U.S. becoming more secular, or are people just becoming more comfortable being non-religious?” Said Smith.

The decline of Christianity has significant implications for American politics, culture, and society. According to Smith, Christian values and beliefs have played a prominent role in shaping public policy and moral discourse. However, as the influence of Christianity wanes, the political landscape is becoming increasingly diverse and pluralistic. This is largely due to how people are essentially subcategorized into pollical affiliation based on whether they are religious or not.

“Many politicians weaponize religion,” said Mouton.

According to Rev. Mouton this goes perfectly with how many politicians will intentionally create division through religion by appealing to the beliefs of certain people and painting those with views opposite those people in a negative light.

Smith says that the decline of Christianity could lead to a realignment of the religious right, a political movement that has long been associated with conservative Christian values.

“Religion and conservative politics are joined at the hip,” said Smith.

The decline of Christianity poses challenges for religious institutions and communities across the country. Pew Research says churches, once the focal point of social and spiritual life in many communities, are grappling with declining attendance and dwindling resources. Some churches have closed their doors, while others are exploring innovative ways to engage with an increasingly secular society.

A lot of this has to do with the COVID-19 pandemic which caused a lot of disruption in the church going community. While the share of Americans who participated in church services stayed steady the way they participated changed. Many people became comfortable doing mass from home by watching a live stream of the service online.

“As COVID subsided people who go to church has decreased,” said Smith.

According to Smith this means that not only is church attendance down but that means to a certain degree engagement down. For example, if a Catholic does an at home mass, then it is far more different to them to receive the Eucharist.

 

In the eyes of Mouton to a certain degree he views it as a good thing as he says that many people go to church but aren’t truly invested in growing their faith. Essentially saying that many people go to church just to be able to say they to church.

 

“It was almost a combing of people who weren’t truly invested,” said Mouton.

 

When it comes to stopping the decline there is very little which can truly be done. While the rise of the religious nones is supposedly slowing there isn’t much which can be done to fully stop it. Smith says that we can’t predict the future and trying to be futile, especially with such a broad topic as religion. While Rev. Mouton has faith that while religion may be declining, the church is never going away, he says is the whole central idea of religion.

 

“What you don’t know is if there could be religious or spiritual change in the population,” said Smith.

 

“Decline will continue but faith and the church will endure,” said Mouton on the future of Christianity.