inspiration
legiance of 78 percent of Americans,
nondenominational churches are grow-
ing and now attract about 5 percent of
adults. Other world faiths—Judaism,
Islam, Buddhism and Hinduism—also
Spiritual Shift
collectively account for 5 percent.
Today, 16.1 percent of adults
say they are unaffiliated; one quarter
of those 18 to 29 are in this group.
Researchers found that 1.6 percent of
adults consider themselves atheists, and
2.4 percent are agnostics, who consider
God unknowable. The remaining 12
percent split evenly between the secu-
lar and the religious, who may practice
faith on their own. Although “unaffili-
ated” surfaced as the fastest-growing
category, the survey shows that about
half end up returning to a faith connec-
tion.
Religious Fluidity Reflects a Wondering Society Pew’s U.S. Religious Landscape
Survey of 35,000 Americans reveals
that nine in 10 Americans believe in the
existence of God or a Universal Spirit.
by Jane lampman Barbara. “You can read this as ‘It’s what
More than half attend services regularly
A
panoramic snapshot of Ameri- America is about’—we choose.”
and pray daily. Among the unaffiliated
can religious life in 2008 reveals According to a landmark Pew
population, four in 10 say religion is at
an extraordinary dynamism that Forum on Religion & Public Life survey,
least somewhat important in their lives,
is reshaping the country’s major tradi- Protestantism, which has shaped Ameri-
seven in 10 say they believe in God,
tions in historic ways. can identity for generations, may soon
and more than a quarter say they attend
Almost half of all Americans have become a minority faith, as 51 percent
religious services at least a few times a
moved to a different religious denomi- call themselves Protestants today, while
year.
nation from that in which they were only 43 percent of those ages 18 to 29
Seventy percent of Americans af-
raised. The fluidity is combining with say the same.
filiated with a religious tradition do not
immigration to spur dramatic changes Currently, “Within our society,
believe that their faith is the only way
in the religious landscape. Protestants basically outnumber Catho-
to eternal life.
“Religious fluidity is part of a larger lics two to one,” says Luis Lugo, Pew
picture of fluidity in American life Forum director. “Among immigrants,
generally,” observes Wade Clark Roof, Catholics outnumber Protestants by
For details, see
author of Spiritual Marketplace and pro- more than two to one.”
Religions.PewForum.org/reports.
fessor at University of California-Santa While Christianity retains the al-
9
September 2008
Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40  |  Page 41  |  Page 42  |  Page 43  |  Page 44  |  Page 45  |  Page 46  |  Page 47  |  Page 48