President Michael Dimock explains why. The vast majority of U. Use this tool to compare the groups on some key topics and their demographics. About Pew Research Center Pew Research Center is a nonpartisan fact tank that informs the public about the issues, attitudes and trends shaping the world. It conducts public opinion polling, demographic research, media content analysis and other empirical social science research. Pew Research Center does not take policy positions.
It is a subsidiary of The Pew Charitable Trusts. Newsletters Donate My Account. Research Topics. History tends to unfold in messy cycles—actions and reactions, revolutions and counterrevolutions—and even semipermanent changes are subtle and glacial.
But the rise of religious non-affiliation in America looks like one of those rare historical moments that is neither slow, nor subtle, nor cyclical. You might call it exceptional. The obvious question for anybody who spends at least two seconds looking at the graph above is: What the hell happened around ? This story begins with the rise of the religious right in the s. Alarmed by the spread of secular culture—including but not limited to the sexual revolution, the Roe v.
Wade decision, the nationalization of no-fault divorce laws, and Bob Jones University losing its tax-exempt status over its ban on interracial dating—Christians became more politically active. The GOP welcomed them with open arms. The party, which was becoming more dependent on its exurban-white base, needed a grassroots strategy and a policy platform. In , the GOP social platform was a facsimile of conservative Christian views on sexuality, abortion, and school prayer.
Read: Evangelical fear elected Trump. The marriage between the religious and political right delivered Reagan, Bush, and countless state and local victories. But it disgusted liberal Democrats, especially those with weak connections to the Church. It also shocked the conscience of moderates, who preferred a wide berth between their faith and their politics. In , however, the Cold War ended.
As the U. It was a God-fearing, stateless movement: radical Islamic terrorism. It would be a terrible oversimplification to suggest that the fall of the Twin Towers encouraged millions to leave their church, Smith said. But over time, al-Qaeda became a useful referent for atheists who wanted to argue that all religions were inherently destructive.
Meanwhile, during George W. New Atheists, such as Christopher Hitchens and Sam Harris, became intellectual celebrities; the best seller American Theocracy argued that evangelicals in the Republican coalition were staging a quiet coup that would plunge the country into disarray and financial ruin.
Throughout the Bush presidency, liberal voters—especially white liberal voters— detached from organized religion in ever-higher numbers. Among other groups Gallup reported, the decline in church membership stands out among self-identified Democrats and independents.
Young people are especially allergic to the perception that many — but by no means all — American religions are hostile to LGBTQ rights. Research by Campbell shows that a growing number of Americans have turned away from religion as politicians — particularly Republicans — have mixed religion with their politics. Campbell says there has always been an ebb and flow in American adherence to religion, but he thinks the current decline is likely to continue.
The number of people who identify as non-religious has grown steadily in recent decades, according to Michele Margolis , associate professor of political science at the University of Pennsylvania and author of From Politics to the Pews. Christian nationalists — who believe America was established as, and should remain, a Christian country — have pushed a range of measures to thrust their version of religion into American life. In states including Louisiana , Arkansas and Florida, Republicans have introduced legislation which would variously hack away at LGTBQ rights, reproductive rights, challenge the ability of couples to adopt children, and see religion forced into classrooms.
0コメント