inspiration
While Christianity retains the al-
Spiritual Shift
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
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
by Jane lampman
that nine in 10 Americans believe in the
existence of God or a Universal Spirit.
A
panoramic snapshot of Ameri- Barbara. “You can read this as ‘It’s what
More than half attend services regularly
can religious life in 2008 reveals America is about’—we choose.”
and pray daily. Among the unaffiliated
an extraordinary dynamism that According to a landmark Pew
population, four in 10 say religion is at
is reshaping the country’s major tradi- Forum on Religion & Public Life survey,
least somewhat important in their lives,
tions in historic ways. Protestantism, which has shaped Ameri-
seven in 10 say they believe in God,
Almost half of all Americans have can identity for generations, may soon
and more than a quarter say they attend
moved to a different religious denomi- become a minority faith, as 51 percent
religious services at least a few times a
nation from that in which they were call themselves Protestants today, while
year.
raised. The fluidity is combining with only 43 percent of those ages 18 to 29
Seventy percent of Americans af-
immigration to spur dramatic changes say the same.
filiated with a religious tradition do not
in the religious landscape. Currently, “Within our society,
believe that their faith is the only way
“Religious fluidity is part of a larger Protestants basically outnumber Catho-
to eternal life.
picture of fluidity in American life lics two to one,” says Luis Lugo, Pew
generally,” observes Wade Clark Roof, Forum director. “Among immigrants,
For details see
author of Spiritual Marketplace and pro- Catholics outnumber Protestants by
Religions.PewForum.org/reports.
fessor at University of California-Santa more than two to one.”
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September 2008
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