Posted on 08/28/2016 2:41:41 PM PDT by Salvation
The Surprising Reason Why More Americans Are Not Going To Church
The standard narrative of American religious decline goes something like this: A few hundred years ago, European and American intellectuals began doubting the validity of God as an explanatory mechanism for natural life. As science became a more widely accepted method for investigating and understanding the physical world, religion became a less viable way of thinking—not just about medicine and mechanics, but also culture and politics and economics and every other sphere of public life. As the United States became more secular, people slowly began drifting away from faith.
Of course, this tale is not just reductive—it’s arguably inaccurate, in that it seems to capture neither the reasons nor the reality behind contemporary American belief. For one thing, the U.S. is still overwhelmingly religious, despite years of predictions about religion’s demise. A significant number of people who don’t identify with any particular faith group still say they believe in God, and roughly 40 percent pray daily or weekly. While there have been changes in this kind of private belief and practice, the most significant shift has been in the way people publicly practice their faith: Americans, and particularly young Americans, are less likely to attend services or identify with a religious group than they have at any time in recent memory.
If most people haven’t just logicked their way out of believing in God, what’s behind this shift in public religious practice, and what does the shift look like in detail? That’s a big question, one less in search of a straightforward answer than a series of data points and arguments constellated over time. Here’s one: Pew has a new survey out about the way people choose their congregations and attend services. While Americans on the whole are still going to church and other worship services less than they used to, many people are actually going more—and those who are skipping out aren’t necessarily doing it for reasons of belief.
There were at least three fascinating tidbits tucked into the results of the survey. First, people who report going to worship services less frequently now than they used to overwhelmingly say the logistics of getting there are the biggest obstacle.Second, a significant number of people who said they’re not part of any particular religion expressed mistrust of religious institutions, suggesting these organizations’ reputations have something to do with why people are dropping out of public religious participation.
Finally, and perhaps most interestingly, the country seems to be split in half in terms of how often people get to services. Roughly 51 percent of Americans say they go to church or another worship service somewhere between once a month and multiple times per week, while 49 percent said they go rarely or never. But within that 51 percent, more than half of people said they go more often than they used to—in other words, about quarter of Americans have gotten more active in their religious communities in recent years, not less.
On the other hand, fewer than half of the people who rarely or never go to church said this has been a new decline in the last few years; a greater portion of that group said they’ve always stayed home on Sundays. All of this is a way of saying that, comparatively speaking, there’s more activity happening on the devout side of the spectrum than the drop-out side; this study suggests that even in a time of religion’s public decline, some people are experiencing religious revival.
According to the survey, about one-fifth of Americans now go to religious services a few times a year, but say they used to go a lot more. Roughly half of this group stopped going as often because of what the researchers called “practical issues”: They are too busy, have a crazy work schedule, or describe themselves as “too lazy” to go. Others said they just don’t care about attending services as much as doing other things.
While it’s easy to empathize with the hassle of trying to wake up and rally kids to go sit still for several hours every Sunday morning, this explanation is interesting for a slightly different reason: It suggests that many people view religious services as optional in a way they might not have in the past. Fifty or 60 years ago, churches, in particular, were a center of social and cultural life in America. For many people, that’s still the case, but the survey suggests that many people may be creating their social lives outside of a religious context—or perhaps forgoing that kind of social connection altogether.
The experience of those who are losing their religion shouldn’t obscure those who are finding it.
The sidelining of services may connect to another factor indicated in the survey: Among people who were raised religiously and who fell away from religion in adult life, roughly one-fifth said their dislike of organized religion was the reason. Another 50 percent said they stopped believing in the particular tenets of the faith they were raised in. Insofar as the decline in U.S. religious affiliation is an intellectual or philosophical story, it seems to be this: Fewer people are willing to sign on with the rules and reputations of institutions that promote faith. That doesn’t mean people don’t care about religious ideas or questions—many of those who are unaffiliated with a particular group still consider themselves “religious” or “seeking”—but they might not be as sold on the religious institutions themselves.
The experience of those who are losing their religion shouldn’t obscure the experience of those who are finding it, though. Twenty-seven percent of people in the survey say they’re attending services more often than they did in the past, cutting against the country’s overall decline in religious practice. This was most common among evangelical Protestants, three-quarters of whom say they go to church at least once or twice a month. Half of the people who said they’re going to services more often explained the change in terms of their beliefs: They’ve become more religious; they found that they need God in their life; they’ve gotten more mature as they’ve aged. By contrast, relatively few said they started going to church more often for practical reasons. Belief brings people to worship, it seems, while logistics keep people way.
The survey offers evidence that at least some Americans find worship services less relevant than other things they could be doing with their time, or perhaps they’re too hard to make time for. But the biggest takeaway is the variety of religious experience in America. Just as some people are drifting away from religion, others are moving toward it—and no matter what they might do on Sunday mornings, many people seem to find religious thinking still relevant to their lives.
Completely serious. The Episcopal church I attended this morning pays me to be present as a professional church musician (choral bass - section leader in the choir). The offertory anthem was Sing Joyfully by William Byrd (English Renaissance). It's too complicated for most all-volunteer choirs to do on a Sunday morning. https://youtu.be/yfcqHHUA1uw
There is unfortunately a lot of bad church music. If I am a stranger in a new town on a Sunday morning, I make a beeline and walk right out of a church if I see a drumkit up in front. The best option sometimes is just go the BBC Radio 3 website and listen to the latest episode of the weekly Choral Evensong broadcast.
“All we are commanded is to not forsake the assembling of ourselves together. It could be a Bible study or small group as well.”
“Therefore an overseer must be above reproach, the husband of one wife, sober-minded, self-controlled, respectable, hospitable, able to teach, 3 not a drunkard, not violent but gentle, not quarrelsome, not a lover of money. 4 He must manage his own household well, with all dignity keeping his children submissive, 5 for if someone does not know how to manage his own household, how will he care for God’s church? 6 He must not be a recent convert, or he may become puffed up with conceit and fall into the condemnation of the devil...
...8 Deacons likewise must be dignified, not double-tongued, not addicted to much wine, not greedy for dishonest gain. 9 They must hold the mystery of the faith with a clear conscience. 10 And let them also be tested first; then let them serve as deacons if they prove themselves blameless. 11 Their wives likewise must be dignified, not slanderers, but sober-minded, faithful in all things. 12 Let deacons each be the husband of one wife, managing their children and their own households well. 13 For those who serve well as deacons gain a good standing for themselves and also great confidence in the faith that is in Christ Jesus.” - 1 Tim 3
“5 This is why I left you in Crete, so that you might put what remained into order, and appoint elders in every town as I directed you— 6 if anyone is above reproach, the husband of one wife, and his children are believers and not open to the charge of debauchery or insubordination. 7 For an overseer, as God’s steward, must be above reproach. He must not be arrogant or quick-tempered or a drunkard or violent or greedy for gain, 8 but hospitable, a lover of good, self-controlled, upright, holy, and disciplined. 9 He must hold firm to the trustworthy word as taught, so that he may be able to give instruction in sound doctrine and also to rebuke those who contradict it.” - Titus 1
Again, while Bible study is good, and your spiritual life should not be LIMITED to attending church, there isn’t much New Testament support to replacing the local church with a bible study alone.
Bump!
A lot of churches just aren’t worth going to. If I wasn’t serving the Lord at my church and continuously learning to serve Him better I wouldn’t go either. Lots of other places I could go just to socialize.
Indeed. But you must first understand the meaning of the words you typed. Being under the Law is being under the condemnation of the Law. Those who are of Faith are no longer under this condemnation but this, in no wise, relieves them from following the Laws of God. Hence, we establish the Law. This is from the New Covenant whereby God puts into us a desire in our heart to please Him and strengthen us to follow Him.
True words there. That is not the purpose of the Law. The Law is the standard by which God requires us to follow. IF we make it to Heaven, we WILL follow it thoroughly. Better get some practice here. Think of the law as a basketball hoop and you must dunk a basketball in order to make the team. You desperately want to make the team but cannot dunk the ball because the hoop is 15 feet off the ground! In other words sinful humans need some help. We cannot ever achieve the goal on our own accord (and believe me many have spent their miserable lives doing so). It is only with Gods help and prayer that we can live by and follow His Law. The Law does not save, it can only condemn. But it shines a light on our heart to show us our unworthiness. Therein lies its value to us. Do not shun the Law because its source is from God. Let it do its work.
“Those who are of Faith are no longer under this condemnation but this, in no wise, relieves them from following the Laws of God.” - BipolarBob
“For under the Law I “died”, and now I am dead to the Law’s demands so that I may live for God....The death of Christ on the cross had made you “dead” to the claims of the Law, and you are free to give yourselves in marriage, so to speak, to another, the one who was raised from the dead, that you may be productive for God....” - Apostle Paul
The Sabbath is a one-in-seven day of rest. Six days for labor, one day for rest.
In Acts, the Christian church was established at Pentecost, which was on the same day Jesus rose from the dead, and described by John as the Lord’s Day in Revelation (for, being a Jew, he would have used “Sabbath” if he meant the Sabbath). In 1 Corinthians 16, Paul describes a meet for a collection on the first day of the week. Finally, there is historical evidence that the Jewish Christians went to synagogue on Saturdays, as was Paul’s habit described in Acts, but also met with Gentile Christians on Sundays. This practice was changed when the Christian Jews were excluded from the synagogue.
Why would one try to bind Christians to a standard that the Apostles did not affirm?
Personally, I pray I never become religious! The Pharisees were ‘religious’, Jesus was ‘relational’. We have a God in Three Persons, in relationship, the Father, the Son and Holy Spirit.
In His ‘Great Commission’ (Matthew 28:16-20), Jesus instructed us to ‘make disciples’. By definition, making disciples requires us to interact with such disciples, not be ‘lone ranger’ Christians. Romans 12 details living in relationship with our fellow Believers and Acts 2 provides examples of living as a part of the body of Believers. These early Christians merely followed Jesus’ example. He spent over 3 years as part of a ‘family’ of the 12 discles plus Him.
While it is commendable that you spend so much time in prayer, Jesus spoke not of keeping our lights hidden under a barrel.
What does the Word of God say?
Mark 2:28"Therefore the Son of Man is also Lord of the Sabbath" Here Jesus declares His day for all to know and not guess.
I do not recall any Apostles denouncing Gods Law and replacing it with their own. They were all Jews. They kept the Sabbath (as well as the other Commandments) all of their life. And I am sure unto their death. Acts 18:4 "In the city of Corinth, the Apostle Paul reasoned in the synagogue every Sabbath, persuading the Jews and Gentiles."
I am sure they met other days of the week as well but nothing there suggests a complete overthrow of Gods Commandment.
You just keep the mule deer herds back, and I’ll build a range. They can be quite the distraction out of season. Again, beautiful territory - God’s country. Thanks again.
Stay safe!
Yes, he is the Lord of the one-in-seven day of rest. Paul points out that the law is a guide, and to that end, most, if not all, churches have at least a once-in-seven day of rest with preaching and teaching.
If you are convinced that Saturday is the only possible day for this, then for your conscience sake, you must observe that day, lest you sin. But don’t try to bind other’s consciences on a disputable matter.
I think the council in Acts 15 does not levy this requirement on Gentiles.
Also, do you mean that the Christian still has to cut off the end of his schmeckel?
I see nothing in Acts 15 that remotely addresses the Ten Commandments in any way. If so please cite the verse and we can discuss.
There is a distinct difference in ceremonial laws for the Hebrews and the Ten Commandments that were for all mankind and will stand forever. The laws and ordinances were spoken by Moses (Lev. 1:1) whereas the The Commandments were spoken by and written by God (Deut 4:12,13 and Ex 24:12). This should be obvious to any serious student of the Bible.
That is not my job. I try to point out some truths I have learned along the way. It is up to you and your conscience as to whether you wish to investigate and follow Gods plan or not.
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