Is faith really disappearing in the US?

My analysis of ARIS

A third study (1990, 2001, 2008) by the American Religious Identification Survey (ARIS) sponsored by Trinity College in Hartford, Connecticut was made public on March 9, 2009.

The study, ARIS 2008, is the third in a series of large, nationally representative surveys that track changes in the religious loyalties of the U.S. adult population within the 48 contiguous states from 1990 to 2008.

The report reveals that while the American population self-identifies as predominantly Christian, Americans are slowly becoming less Christian.

One of the most reported facts of the study is about those who identified themselves as having No Religion (None). In the United States Nones represent 15% of the population.

The survey findings were widely reported in the US and global media. The day after the release of the study, I googled “None” and came up with 69 articles, including ones from China, Xinhua; England, Telegraph, and Australia, The Canberra Times,.

The focus of these articles is mostly on the loss of faith in the USA. The impression that emerges from titles like: America is Becoming Less Christian, Less Religious (ABC News), or Where Have All The Christians Gone? (Houston Chronicle) is one of a major defeat for the Christian faith in the US. 

I read all 69 articles and found that while the results of the study are quite telling of a major problem the Christian faith faces as it becomes increasingly irrelevant to the people of this nation, there is another aspect of the “None” phenomenon that must be understood in order to clearly see the full picture.

I’ve lived in Europe, New Zealand and Canada, and during that time worked with denominations and churches (except Canada) to answer the question of “who goes where and who does not care” when it comes to church attendance.

This experience has given me a first hand perspective of the Christian faith in the Western World. It is my opinion that the people of the USA have a tender heart towards the ways of God, however, the ARIS 2008 report shows a growing gap between “church as we know it today” and the American people.

The “None” group represents those who when asked about their religious identity responded saying they had none, no religion, or identified themselves as Humanistic, Agnostic, Atheist or Secular. The report states that this bloc can be described as the non-religious, irreligious and anti-religious bloc.

The increase reported by the Nones is a most significant trend. However there are two important elements that need to be understood in order to have a more balanced perspective on the implications this 15% of the population represents.

First of all, the report noted that Americans have had a historic reluctance to self-identify as a None. We must consider the possibility that the loss of this inhibition has impacted the numbers of those identified as None significantly. 

Is it possible that this segment of the population was actually larger than the 8.2% identified in 1990?

The second important element is the growth rate itself. The Nones are reported to have increased from 8.2% in 1990 to 14.1% in 2001 to 15% in 2008. It is clear that between 2001 and 2008, there has been a significant slow down on the growth rate as compared to the increase from 8.2% of the population in 1990. 

It is interesting to contrast this 15% in the US with that of other Western nations. In the European Union, those who identify themselves as “None” represent 52% of the population, according to a Eurostat poll in 2005. “Nones” are represented in New Zealand by 32%, in Australia by 19% (2006) and Canada by 16% (2001) (Census data)

Interesting facts of the Nones in the US:

- Nones have a 60 to 40 ratio of males to females

- Over 70% are under 50 years of age

- A very high percentage were formerly Catholics

- The growth of Nones has the largest proportion in every state

- Vermont has the highest percentage in the nation with 34% of the population

- Colorado saw Nones increase from 13% to 21% of the population

- In contrast California increased from 14% to 18% and New York from 7% to 14%

While the reasons for the change have yet to be explored, the data hardly paints the picture of a group that is about to replace Christianity in the US as the majority of the news articles would leads us to think. 

However, the fact that has Nones have almost doubled from 8.2% of the population in 1990 to 15% in 2008 is reason for great concern. Specially in light of the fact that Christians of all types have declined from 86% of the population in 1990 to 76% in 2008.

Those with No Faith represent the fastest growing religious identity of people in the US. There are approximately 34,169,000 people who have walked away from all forms of religious faith. 

This fact alone should force us to ask...Why?