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3mo ago

New Study Shows U.S. Christianity's Decline Has Stabilized

Pew Research Center's latest findings reveal a plateau in the decline of Christian affiliation, with younger generations showing mixed trends.

A woman raises her hand in praise during the Southern Baptist Convention, Tuesday, June 11, 2024 at the Indiana Convention Center. The Nashville-based SBC, which is the nation's largest Protestant denomination, is among the faith groups experiencing consistent decline, according to the Pew Research Center's latest Religious Landscape Study.
Los Angeles, CA, Thursday, February 29, 2024 - A view of Echo Park United Methodist Church, which has been a community beacon for 100 years. However, heavy rainfall has damaged the structure, which has brought the singing and worshipping to a stop while forcing the building to close.Built in 1923 at the corner of Reservoir and Alvarado streets, the church has been a place for marriages and baptisms, a haven for the homeless and a meeting space for Alcoholics Anonymous. (Robert Gauthier/Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)
Muslims perform the first 'Tarawih' prayer on the beginning of the Islamic Holy month of Ramadan at the Diyanet Center of America in Maryland.
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Overview

  • The Pew Religious Landscape Study reports that 62% of U.S. adults identify as Christian, a figure that has stabilized since 2019 following years of decline.
  • The rise of the religiously unaffiliated, or 'nones,' has also plateaued at 29%, with atheists at 5%, agnostics at 6%, and 19% identifying as 'nothing in particular.'
  • Younger generations remain significantly less religious, with only 46% of adults aged 18-24 identifying as Christian, compared to 80% of the oldest cohort.
  • Political and ideological divides are stark, with 82% of conservatives identifying as Christian compared to just 37% of liberals, who are increasingly unaffiliated.
  • Religious belief remains high overall, with 83% of Americans believing in God or a universal spirit, though daily prayer and certainty in God's existence have declined since 2007.