đ Is America losing its religion? Four intriguing stats from a new national survey đ
80% of U.S. adults says religion's role is shrinking
By Bobby Ross Jr.
Good morning, Weekend Plug-in readers!
Southern Baptists picked a new president â finally â to lead the denominationâs troubled administrative body, as The Associated Pressâ Peter Smith, Religion News Serviceâs Bob Smietana and The Tennesseanâs Liam Adams report.
U.S. Jews are upset with former President Donald Trumpâs latest rhetoric and say he doesnât get to tell them how to be Jewish, according to APâs Smith and Tiffany Stanley.
And California pastor John MacArthurâs declaration that the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. âwas not a Christian at allâ has drawn a strong rebuttal, RNSâ Adelle M. Banks and Smietana note.
This is our weekly roundup of the top headlines and best reads in the world of faith. We start with four intriguing stats from a new national survey on religion in public life.
What To Know: The Big Story
80%: Eight out of 10 U.S. adults agree âreligionâs role in American life is shrinking â a percentage thatâs as high as itâs ever been in our surveys.â
Thatâs the big takeaway from a new Pew Research Center report.
Two decades ago, âonly 52% responded that religionâs influence in the U.S. had waned,â ReligionUnplugged.comâs own Clemente Lisi notes.
49%: Thatâs the proportion of those surveyed who âsay both that religion is losing influence and that this is a bad thing,â Pew reports.
Religion News Serviceâs Jack Jenkins interviews Greg Smith, Pewâs associate director of research, about the findings.
âWe see signs of sort of a growing disconnect between peopleâs own religious beliefs and their perceptions about the broader culture,â Smith tells RNS.
57%: That clear majority of Americans âexpress a positive view of religionâs influence on American life.â
âWhatâs more, 94% said it is âveryâ or âsomewhatâ important for a president to live a moral and ethical life, and 64% said it is important for a president to stand up for individualsâ religious beliefs,â the Washington Timesâ Mark A. Kellner explains.
âAdditionally, 48% said it is important for a president to hold âstrong religious beliefs,ââ Kellner adds, âand 37% said it is important for a president to hold the same religious beliefs as their own.â
8%: Thatâs the tiny percentage of White evangelicals who told Pew they have a âfavorableâ view of Christian nationalism.
â(M)ost white evangelicals want a president who reflects their religious beliefs, believe the Bible should have some influence on US laws, and see the retreat of religion as a bad thing,â Christianity Todayâs Harvest Prude writes. âYet they oppose adopting Christianity as an official religion.â
Power Up: The Weekâs Best Reads
1. Raunchy Christians: âIn the Trump era, a surprising number of evangelicals are rejecting modesty and turning toward the risquĂ©.â
The New York Timesâ Ruth Graham delves into piety and profanity.
2. âThe Exvangelicalsâ: Is it news when a national political correspondent expresses a progressive worldview?
In the case of NPRâs Sarah McCammon, the answer is yes.
McCammon grew up in a conservative Christian family but had her children baptized in the Episcopal Church. Sheâs the author of a new book, âThe Exvangelicals: Loving, Living, and Leaving the White Evangelical Church.â
Elizabeth Eisenstadt Evans interviews McCammon here at ReligionUnplugged.com. See additional coverage by Religion News Serviceâs Bob Smietana, ABC Newsâ Linsey Davis and NPRâs Tonya Mosley.
3. Methodist agenda: The United Methodist Church is set to hold a historic worldwide meeting from April 22 to May 3 in Charlotte, North Carolina.
The Tennesseanâs Liam Adams details the key issues to watch.
More Top Reads
During the Israel-Hamas war, Jews will soon celebrate Purim â one of their most joyous holidays, The Associated Pressâ David Crary explains. ⊠A Holocaust exhibit seemed harmless. With the war in Gaza, itâs come under scrutiny, Religion News Serviceâs Yonat Shimron reports. ⊠Fasting at school? More Muslim students in the US are getting support during Ramadan, according to APâs Corey Williams, Giovanna DellâOrto, Mariam Fam and Darren Sands. ⊠A massive copper mine could test the limits of religious freedom, Gristâs Taylar Dawn Stagner finds. ⊠A âcowboy Catholicâ leads the Heritage Foundation plans for a potential second Trump term, as Rone Tempest details for the National Catholic Reporter. ⊠And Buddhists use karmic healing against one U.S. cityâs anti-Asian legacy and nationwide prejudice, APâs Deepa Bharath and Terry Tang report.
Inside The Godbeat
Award-winning religion writer Sam Kestenbaum shared his approach to journalism in a lecture at his alma mater Wheaton College â the one in Massachusetts.
Ken Chitwood, president of the Religion News Association, will spend the next three months or so as the faith and immigration reporter for Sojourners.
Got story ideas? Heâs interested in them.
Charging Station: ICYMI
Here is where you can catch up on recent news and opinions from ReligionUnplugged.com.
Assuming youâre not a Kentucky fan, March Madness is off to a really fun start.
As we cheer for more bracket-busting upsets, ReligionUnplugged.comâs Clemente Lisi explores the religious connections in the 2024 NCAA tournament.
The Final Plug
Wanna know âthe weird true history of the Easter bunny?â
Christianity Todayâs Daniel Silliman has got you covered.
Speaking of Easter, Plug-in will take off Good Friday. I hope to see you back in this same space in two weeks.
Happy Friday, everyone! Enjoy the weekend.
Bobby Ross Jr. writes the Weekend Plug-in column for ReligionUnplugged.com and serves as editor-in-chief of The Christian Chronicle. A former religion writer for The Associated Press and The Oklahoman, Ross has reported from all 50 states and 18 nations. He has covered religion since 1999.