Insight One by George Bullard on the U.S. Religious Landscape Survey 2008. [Conducted by The Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life at www.pewforum.org.]
Learning: "Despite predictions the United State would follow Europe's path towards widespread secularization, the U.S. population remains highly religious in its beliefs and practices, and religion continues to play a prominent role in American public life." [1]
Implications for Congregations: 1. U.S. society will continue for the foreseeable future to remain at least nominally a churched culture, which means congregations can assume at least some knowledge of spiritual principles and practices in many preChristians and unchurched persons. 2. However, the spiritual principles and practices of people in American society will be increasingly less like what Protestant congregations have known in past decades, and will call for Protestant churches to re-education its membership to the principles and practices of spiritual travelers in the 21st century. 3. Politicians will continue to want to use congregations to get their message across to their constituents, and be seen favorably among Protestants as persons of solid spiritual moorings.
Implications for Denominations: 1. Denominations need to anticipate that an increasing number of new congregations they launch will address the spiritual needs of people who are not from a churched culture. 2. It will be important to understand what trends and practices have allowed the U.S. to remain highly religious, and then to promote these within the ethos of denominations. 3. Denominations need to understand the unique contributions they can make to American public life, and find ways to champion issues and causes that fit their core values.
