ts. Think Responsibly

angelobottone

July 01 2025 at 04:27 pm

The decline in the share of Christians in the US population appeared to have stopped, according to a major new survey. This is notable because it seems to contradict the thesis that the decline of Christianity in Western countries is inevitable and irreversible. The survey, from the Pew Research Center, says that the proportion of Americans identifying as Christians has stabilised at around 62pc. The figure was 78pc in 2007 but has stopped falling over the last five years. The study, involving more than 100,000 respondents, finds that self-declared Protestants make up 40pc of the U.S. adult population, while Catholics account for 19pc. Of course, saying you belong to a particular religious group does not make you actually practice that religion. Meanwhile, the religiously unaffiliated, often referred to as “nones” (atheists, agnostics, or those who identify as “nothing in particular”), now constitute 29pc of the population. After a long period of growth, this group has also stabilised in recent years. Other measures of religious practice indicate stability. The percentage of Americans who pray daily has remained between 44pc and 46pc since 2021, while regular religious service attendance (at least monthly) has held steady in the low 30s since 2020. However, there are notable generational differences: younger adults (18-24) are significantly less religious than older adults (over 74). Only 46pc of the youngest adults identify as Christian, compared to 80pc of the oldest cohort. Additionally, 27pc of young adults pray daily, compared to 58pc of seniors, and just 25pc of younger adults attend religious services monthly, compared to 49pc of older adults. Family size also varies by religious affiliation. Christians of the age group 40-59 have more children (2.2) than the religiously unaffiliated (1.8) and non-Christian religious groups (1.8). However, Christians are less likely to have minor children at home due to their older average age. Just 42pc of Christian respondents are within the prime child-rearing ages of 25 to 54, compared to 60pc of the religiously unaffiliated and 56pc of those from other religious traditions. These figures reflect self-identified Christian respondents, but the survey does not look at the number of children people have based on religious practice. Generally, fertility rates tend to be higher among those who attend religious services more frequently. Demographer, Lynam Stone, has shown that Americans who attend religious services weekly or more, have about 2.2 children on average, compared with just 1.35 or so for those who never attend. A new paper from The Iona Institute examines the positive correlation between religious practice and larger families. Women remain more religious than men, though the gender gap is narrowing, especially among younger generations. Among parents with under-18s at home, 42pc report engaging in religious activities such as prayer or scripture reading with their children. Changing religious affiliation is common in the U.S., with 35pc of adults identifying with a different religion (or no religion) compared with in childhood. Christianity experiences significant losses, with six former Christians for every new convert. Catholicism is particularly affected, losing 8.4 people for every convert. Religious affiliation continues to correlate with political and social attitudes, according to the survey. Highly religious Americans are more likely to lean Republican and hold conservative views, while less religious individuals tend to align with the Democratic Party and support liberal policies. Among ideological groups, liberals have experienced the most dramatic shift. In 2007, 62pc of self-identified liberals were Christian; by 2024, this number had dropped to 37pc. Conversely, the percentage of liberals with no religious affiliation rose from 27pc to 51pc, making religious “nones” the dominant group among liberals. Conservatives have also seen a decline in Christian affiliation but to a lesser extent, and a majority still identify as Christian.

The quiet religious revival taking place in...

angelobottone

August 01 2025 at 09:06 pm

‘The Quiet Revival’, a major new report from the Bible Society in the UK has found something surprising: a significant upsurge in church attendance, especially among young people, challenging previous assumptions about Christianity’s long-term decline in that country. Based on YouGov surveys of over 13,000 people in England and Wales, the report reveals a 56pc increase in regular church attendance (monthly or more) from 2018 to 2024, rising from 8pc (3.7 million people) to 12pc (5.8 million) of the population. This growth, dubbed a “quiet revival,” by the Bible Society, is most pronounced among younger adults, particularly Gen Z (18-24) and younger Millennials (25-34), and is accompanied by greater ethnic diversity in congregations. While overall Christian identification has fallen to 39pc among the general population, those who identify as Christian are increasingly active, engaging in prayer, Bible reading, and community outreach, signalling a shift from nominal to intentional faith. The most striking trend is the surge in church attendance among 18-34-year-olds, with Gen Z leading the charge. For 18-24-year-olds, regular attendance quadrupled from 4pc in 2018 to 16pc in 2024. The 25-34 age group also saw significant growth, rising from 4pc to 13pc. This contrasts with older generations: those 65+ increased from 14pc to 19pc, while 35-44-year-olds grew only modestly from 5pc to 8pc, and 45-64-year-olds saw a slight decline. Notably, young men are driving this trend, with 21pc of 18-24-year-old men attending monthly last year (up from 4pc in 2018), outpacing young women, whose attendance rose from 3pc to 12pc. Among 18-34-year-olds overall, 18pc of white men attend monthly, up from 3pc, indicating the trend extends beyond ethnic minorities and is not fully explained by rising immigration. Several factors seem to explain this rise: Quest for Community: The report emphasises that young adults, grappling with loneliness, anxiety, and post-pandemic isolation, are being drawn to churches for connection. Over 60% of churchgoers aged 18-34 report a strong sense of belonging to their local area, compared to just 25pc of non-churchgoers. Peer networks are key, with 34pc of non-churchgoing 18-24-year-olds saying they’d attend if invited by a friend.Search for Meaning: Economic pressures, mental health challenges, and disillusionment with secular liberalism help lead young people toward faith. The report notes 35pc of 18-24-year-olds over believe in a higher power, and 40pc pray monthly, the highest of any age group. Churchgoers in this bracket report higher life satisfaction and lower anxiety, particularly among young women, who show a 21-point drop in frequent depression compared to non-churchgoing peers.Spiritual Engagement: Young Christians are highly active, with 80pc of 18-34-year-olds reading the Bible weekly (compared to 71pc of 35-54-year-olds) and 80pc feeling confident discussing their faith. Curiosity about Christianity is also quite high, with 25pc of non-churchgoing 18-24-year-olds interested in learning more about the Bible.Denominational Shifts: Growth is strongest in Catholic and Pentecostal churches. Among 18-34-year-olds identifying as Catholic, Mass attendance rose from 22pc to 41pc, and Pentecostal from 10pc to 18pc, while Anglican attendance in this age group fell from 30oc to 20pc. Immigration significantly contributes to this revival, diversifying congregations and bolstering attendance, particularly among 18-34-year-olds. One in five churchgoers (19pc) is from an ethnic minority, rising to nearly a third (32pc) among 18-54-year-olds. The report contrasts youth-led growth with stagnation among middle-aged groups and cautions against over-optimism, noting that churchgoing doesn’t always equate to deep faith. Bible engagement is rising—12pc of the population reads the Bible weekly outside services, up from 6pc—but 79pc rarely encounter it. The revival is uneven, thriving in urban areas with dynamic churches but less evident in rural or traditional settings. For 18-34-year-olds, the report suggests churches must nurture this interest through discipleship, as many newcomers lack theological grounding. The mental health benefits underscore churches’ social value. ‘The Quiet Revival’ documents a remarkable resurgence in UK church attendance, with 18-34-year-olds, especially Gen Z men, at the forefront. Driven by a hunger for community, meaning, and spiritual engagement, this group has quadrupled attendance in six years, favouring Catholic and Pentecostal churches. This is a good news story showing a very welcome interruption to the long-term decline in church attendance in the UK. Hopefully it is not a mere interruption, but a sign of a genuine revival.

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