A new survey conducted by Pew Research Center shows that Republicans and Democrats strongly agree that religion is losing influence in American life.
In an era where Republicans and those who lean Republican tend to disagree with Democrats and those who lean Democrat on nearly every issue (e.g, check out Partisan Polarization – 3 Critical Issues) it is interesting how much support there is in both groups for the statement that religion is losing influence in American life (Democrat/Lean Democrat: 74% and Republican/Lean Republican 83%).
Whether or not this shift is good or bad varies considerably based on whether one is or leans Democrat compared with whether one is or leans Republican.
- It is a bad shift for more than twice as many who are or lean Republican (63%) compared to those who are or lean Democrat (27%).
- Those who are or lean Democrat are about equally as likely to see the change as good (25%) as they are to view it as bad (27%).
- Those who are or who lean Republican are more than eight times more likely to view it as bad (63%) than good (7%).
So What?
Since moving back to Texas in 2015, I have often found myself in conversations in which people lament the decline of American Christianity and the loss of either their denomination’s impact on public life or that of Christianity more generally. I’ve also encountered a smaller number of people of faith who appreciate the decline in influence primarily because they understood that influence to represent a form of Christianity they do not practice.
While I’ve talked to many who wish that religion was gaining influence in public life or hope it will, I can only think of a handful of people who genuinely believe this is the current trend.
Religion is losing its influence. The decline in influence makes sense when viewed alongside other ways Christianity is declining (e.g, The Great American Religious Decline).
Individual followers of the Way of Jesus, local congregations and houses of worship, and networks and denominations must recognize this trend and live out authentic responses.
- What does this look like for you personally?
- For your congregation?