The USA Today recently published an article called “Americans freely change, or drop, their religions”. You can find it here. The article was based on research entitled “U.S. Religious Landscape Survey”, which was released Monday by the Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life. Al Mohler is just one of many that have started to comment on the results of the research. You can read his response here.
In a nutshell the research shows that the nation is constantly shifting amid religious choices, unaware or unconcerned with doctrinal distinctions and that unbelief is on the rise. I guess much could be made of the research. But then again, it may not make that much of a ripple.
My perspective on the research is jaded by what I’ve seen and have been a part of over the last 2 years. I think I’ve mentioned in another post, that many believe that Western Europe is years ahead of the US when it comes to post-modernism and general views of the church. This is not necessarily a good thing, but it does give great insight into how things could conceivably start to evolve in the US. Much of Western Europe is considered to be post-Christian. The church and religion means little to the vast majority of people here. They see it as irrelevant and offering no real value to their lives.
This research is the first step (or one of the first steps) towards the same type of thinking in the US. I don’t have an opinion as to how long the transformation takes, but I do believe that those of you in the States are on the path to finding out what a truly post-modern, post-Christian culture looks like.
A very thoughtful look at how you do church needs to be taken. Without adjustments you may find that many of your “cathedrals” will be museums just like they are here.
Cheers.






