Shifts in American Religious Affiliation

Have you seen this article in the New York Times today. Go to www.nytimes.com Also, if you want to read the above graph by making it larger just click on it, it should open in a larger size.

It describes research on people's religious affiliation. The article covers the basics, but here is what struck me. The dramatic rise in unaffiliated. Americans are increasingly an unaffiliated religious society. Now, that doesn't mean they are not religious or spiritually aware. But, combine this with the second item that stands out, the increase in Non-Denominational, and it says to me that the religions that look the most institutional are being replaced by a non-institutional type of religion.

What this doesn't measure is the number of people who go to church in America at churches that may be affiliated with a denomination, but don't look like they are a part of a denomination. Examples include Saddleback Church in California, which is Southern baptist 20,000 members, but doesn't advertise that fact. Also, Community Church of Joy in Phoenix, which is an ELCA Lutheran Church. 8,000 members.

Then, of course, is the obvious decline of the most institutional looking church, the Roman Catholic church.

I read this article, as well as recent statistics I've seen about New England, which has lost 11 % of its membership in the last 7 years, and I'm reminded of two things. 1. Why the work of being a welcoming church for people on their Spiritual journey is so important. 2. Why doing this in the current culture is so challenging.