According to the latest Gallup survey, "Over three-quarters of Americans (77%) say religion is losing its influence on American life, while 20% say religion's influence is increasing." While the overall view tends toward pessimism, this year's results are the most pessimistic about the influence of religion since 1970. So What? At a time when the vast majority agree that religion is declining, an almost equal number (75%) believe that it would be positive for our nation if more Read More …
Trends
International Religious Freedom (#1102)
Earlier this week the U.S. State Department released its annual report on religious freedom around the world. Suzan Johnson Cook, Ambassador-at-Large for International Religious Freedom, stated that the report shows much work is yet to be done. With this in mind, she called upon governments to "fulfill their responsibility to condemn religious intolerance and bring to justice perpetrators of abuses." So What? People who follow the way of Jesus must advocate for Read More …
Life After Seminary (#1100)
For generations, seminaries were primarily designed to train people for pastoral ministry. Today, less than half of all graduates of the typical seminary degree for pastors (master of divinity) plan to engage in full-time church ministry. According to the Association of Theological Schools the shift has taken place in just a few decades. At that time, over 90% of students planned to enter full-time church ministry. The percentage has declined ever since, reaching 52% by Read More …
Canadian Nones (#1097)
While I have written extensively about the rise of the religiously non-affiliated (also known as "nones") in the United States, I have given far less attention to how this trend is impacting our neighbor to the North. Results from the 2011 National Household Survey show even as Christianity remains the dominant religion in Canada, the nones are growing quickly. More specifically, as a percentage of the population by year "nones" accounted for 2011: 23.9% 2001: 16.5%, Read More …
Tithers (#1096)
The fifth annual State of the Plate survey revealed interesting data about tithers. Among the over 4,000 tithers participanting in the survey: 73% of those who "tithe" give over 10%, including 9% who give over 20%; 70% "tithe" based on their gross income rather than net income; and 63% started tithing before turning 30. Interestingly tithers have lower debt levels and are financially better off than non-tithers: 80% have no unpaid credit card bills, 74% have no car Read More …
Church Communication Survey (#1095)
In recent months I have given more attention to the topic of church communications than I have in many years. It is astonishing how poorly most congregations identify and leverage the appropriate tools in support of their communication strategy (even more troubling are those congregations who just "play with" the tools without any formal strategy to offer guidance in their use). So What? Paul Steinbrueck, co-founder and CEO of OurChurch.Com, recently offered an introduction to the Read More …
Extreme Poverty in America (#1093)
Kathryn Edin, Professor of Public Policy and Management at Harvard, and one of the America's leading poverty researchers, teamed up with Luke Schaefer, Assistant Professor of Social Work at the University of Michigan, to try to determine just how common extreme poverty is in the United States. Their research considering how many households live on $2 a day or less will be published in June in the journal “Social Service Review.” Relying on data from the Survey of Read More …
Will Hymnals Survive? (#1090)
In the June 2013 issue of Reformed Worship magazine, John D. Witvliet explores reasons why he believes hymnals have a future. Witvliet is director of the Calvin Institute of Christian Worship and professor of worship, theology, & congregational and ministry studies at Calvin College and Calvin Theological Seminary. Witvliet offers 10 reasons why hymnals have a future, including: hymnals are especially well suited to good group singing of many kinds of songs (though Read More …
A Religious Double Standard (#1084)
While one would hope that Americans hold informed, respectful, and tolerant views of persons of all religious traditions (including those who have opted to not follow a religious paths) numerous studies indicate that most people have very limited levels of religious literacy. Sadly, one recent study found that there is a religious double standard regarding religious violence. More specifically: when people claim to be a Christian and commit violent acts in the name Read More …
Global Islam (#1082)
Writing for the CNN Belief Blog, Dan Merica distills the newly released Pew Research Center study on Islam into five major takeaways: Differences between U.S. and international Muslims are vast, Sharia law favored, especially by more devout Muslims, Most Muslims believe religion, politics should be intertwined, Around the world, Muslims heralded religious freedom, and Islamic extremism widely rejected, but still a concern. Says Who? This four year long study included a total of Read More …