Six Reasons Christianity in America is Doing Better Than You Think

Experts have been predicting the decline and even the end of Christianity for 200 years. In the 1820s Thomas Jefferson said that Christianity would, in the future be replaced by an enlightened religion that rejected the miracles of Christ. He wrote a volume that has come to be known as the Jefferson Bible that eliminated the supernatural elements of Jesus’ life; things like the resurrection and miracles. In 1935 the famous preacher of Riverside Baptist Church in New York City, Harry Emerson Fosdick, predicted the demise of biblical Christianity.

The number of people who call themselves Christians has dropped from 90% to 64% in the last 50 years.

Observers especially call attention to the rise of the nones. This is not a Catholic religious order but the people who tell pollsters when asked about their religion, answer “none.” When asked one’s religious affiliation in 1972 only 5% said “none.” In the most recent surveys in 2018, 24% gave that answer.

Our cultural elite predict the end of Christianity because that’s what they want to happen. However, they are going to be disappointed.

First, counting the number of Christians is hard. When I taught a class on American Christianity at the University of Colorado, I told my students, no one knows how many churches there are in Boulder County, where the university is located. Churches met in every imaginable location besides the usual church building. They met in restaurants, rec centers, dozens met in schools, and dozens more meet in homes just like the first Christians. So counting them is virtually impossible.

A second reason Christianity is a lot more powerful than you think: How many of the “nones” are people who have never been particularly committed to any faith, but they were baptized as infants in a Christian church and in the past would tell a pollster they were Christian, but now they just say “none”? How many people say they have no religious affiliation but attend a non-denominational church?   Or a mid-week Bible study? According to writers in the Wall Street Journal, many people who report no religious affiliation—and even many self-identified atheists and agnostics—exhibit substantial levels of religious practice and belief. Ryan Burge, whom I cite below, has probably studied this issue more than anyone: He says a large number of the nones have left mainline liberal churches, churches that have ceased to be Christian anyway. Leaving them is a good idea.

Third, the data the pollsters have only goes back 50 years. It would be good to know how many Americans went to church in 1730 before the first Great Awakening. Or in 1800 before the Second Great Awakening. But, so far as I know, that data does not exist. All we have at most is data going back to the 1950s, probably the time of highest church attendance in American history. In 1950 mainline churches were well attended as opposed to the 70-80% decline they have experienced since. So yes, mainline Protestantism has cratered since then, but what about using 1930 as your benchmark. Or 1730? The trends will be quite different.

Fourth, in my observations Evangelical Christians are doing a better job of raising their children in the faith. When I grew up in the 1950s parents saw public school and popular media as a help in raising their kids. No more. Christian parents correctly see school and Hollywood as the enemy. Millions now homeschool and millions more send their kids to private religious schools that offer a very different message from the secular Progressives who dominate the public square. I am going to hazard a guess that although a lower percentage of Americans call themselves Christians the ones who do self-identify are on average much more devout than 50 or 75 years ago.

Fifth, pollsters primarily see the decline among the young, people between 20 and 30 years of age. That group has always had the lowest level of commitment. But most in the next few years will experience the most dramatic change that ever occurs in a person’s life—they will have children. Nothing changes your life more than kids. Social science research is solid on this—nothing makes you more religious than having children. Nothing shows your need for divine help more than having kids. And millions of the nones will turn to the Lord and to the church for help when this transition occurs. A “none” is more likely than anyone else to change his view and become affiliated with a religious group. For example, Ryan Burge reports that half of the people who said they were agnostics in 2010 had changed their views by 2014.

Sixth, there is the browning of America. Even a CNN writer saw this a reason for Christian optimism. Legal immigrants account for more than a million new people a year in the United States and they are overwhelmingly Christian They are already impacting places like England. What is the most religious city in the U.K.? If you guessed London you’d be right. Why? All those African immigrants bringing their faith to the shores of jolly old England.  The same thing is happening in America. I had lunch with a Nigerian couple who were visiting America. They declared, “African Christians are a lot more devout and aggressive than white European Christians.” I believe them.

Whatever sociologists discover their declarations on the Christian faith is irrelevant. God’s plans march ahead no matter what men think or how they scheme. An analysis of Christianity in the Roman Empire in 60 A.D. would have given the new faith zero chance of success. It was a tiny, persecuted religion of the lower classes. It put forth a Savior killed by crucifixion. The attractions of the new faith seemed very small. But, Christianity went on to conquer the Roman Empire and replace the Roman Empire and become the largest and most influential faith in the history of mankind.

So when you hear people predicting the demise and end of the Christian faith ask them questions based on what I have said above. As the saying goes, They have buried the old faith many times before but it always rises up to life in the midst of its burial, and outlives all the pall bearers.

Thanks for listening. May the Lord of the church bless you this day in a mighty way.

More: What is the Real Reason for the Decline of Religion in America? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ulBBruLtmUI

What is behind the said decline of our Mainline Denominations? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r_M4R-88JOw

The impact of Africans on Europe: https://unherd.com/2022/04/the-future-of-anglicanism-is-african/?tl_inbound=1&tl_groups[0]=18743&tl_period_type=3&mc_cid=fdac4c8802&mc_eid=5b400e1632

Decline of Christianity in America? Not so fast. https://www.cnn.com/2023/04/08/us/christianity-decline-easter-blake-cec/index.html

A positive view on the growth of the church: https://thefederalist.com/2018/01/22/new-harvard-research-says-u-s-christianity-not-shrinking-growing-stronger/

A pessimistic view: https://www.christianitytoday.com/news/2022/september/christian-decline-inexorable-nones-rise-pew-study.html

Where have the “nones” gone? https://www.christianitytoday.com/news/2021/february/nones-religious-unaffiliated-faith-research-church-belief.html

“Nones” are more likely than any other group to change their minds and become involved in a religious group. https://www.christianitytoday.com/news/2018/february/nones-agnostics-religious-identity-switching-cces-christian.html

This analysis from the Wall Street Journal says the pessimists are dead wrong; religion is alive, vibrant, and thriving in America: https://www.wsj.com/articles/religion-is-dying-dont-believe-it-nones-others-surveys-faith-institutions-atheists-agnostics-practice-minority-11659017037?mod=opinion_lead_pos9

Glenn Stanton; the Evangelical church in America is thriving: https://thefederalist.com/2018/01/22/new-harvard-research-says-u-s-christianity-not-shrinking-growing-stronger/