tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29179803.post4593111302180383652..comments2024-03-28T20:47:47.445-04:00Comments on Serene Musings: The Significance of Jesus' DeathScotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10535260741343975445noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29179803.post-27421913793443274272010-03-27T12:55:48.377-04:002010-03-27T12:55:48.377-04:00Fred:
Thanks again for reading and engaging in di...Fred:<br /><br />Thanks again for reading and engaging in discussion on these issues. <br /><br />It's hard to say exactly what's happening right now in the U.S. There is no question that fundamentalism has been on the rise in some regions. Fundamentalists are certainly more shrill and noisy than ever before. That is, without a question, a response not only to modernism in general, but especially to the rise of Muslim terrorism. It's us vs. them. <br /><br />Yet while fundamentalist forms Christian faith seem to be rising, the overall trend seems to be going in the opposite direction. A lot of folks are leaving the faith or are beginning to embrace new paradigms. In polls, Americans who claim no religious affiliation are at an all time high. In 2008, the Pew Research center found 16% of Americans with no religious affiliation - by far the highest ever. Furthermore, the same poll found that both Protestant and Catholic religious affiliation has decreased, with now only 51% of Americans claiming to be Protestant and 24% claiming to be Catholic. <br /><br />The poll also found that nearly half of all Americans claim a religious affiliation that is different than the one they were raised in (this includes those who claim no affiliation). So a lot of folks are clearly moving around, testing the waters of other traditions. <br /><br />Finally, among young adults (18-29), nearly 25%, or 1 in 4, claim no religious affiliation, despite the fact that most of them say they were raised in a religious household. <br /><br />Clearly people are tending to move away from faith, and to move between faiths in the U.S. Christianity in all its forms is declining, while religions not traditional to the U.S. - Buddhism, Hinduism, etc.) are rising. Atheism and "no religious affiliation" are groups that are also rising (it's important to note that most of those who claim no affiliation do NOT claim to be atheists...only about 3% overall).<br /><br />So I think it's fair to say that while new paradigms of Christianity are definitely emerging and growing in the U.S., the majority of Americans are still members of traditionally-believing organizations. If you break the poll's findings down into five Christian subgroups (Evangelical Protestant, Mainline Protestant, Roman Catholic, Orthodox, and Mormon), the largest group is still the Evangelical one, covering more than 26% of Americans. If you add in Roman Catholics, you have nearly 50% of the U.S. population claiming affiliation with a "traditional" faith system. <br /><br />As for my own perspective based on my own experience, it definitely seems to me that traditionalists, while getting louder, are growing smaller as a group. More and more Christians are embracing new paradigms of Christian faith and are moving away from the traditional beliefs of their childhood. There are a lot of new kinds of churches in the U.S., and "social justice" is one new paradigm that I am beginning to hear more and more about. These folks are moving away from the simple faith of yesteryear and are beginning to embrace the idea that being a Christian means way more than just a profession of faith. <br /><br />So overall, I think the trend is good, but there is still a lot of work to do.Scotthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10535260741343975445noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29179803.post-46159596547518685402010-03-22T20:44:31.019-04:002010-03-22T20:44:31.019-04:00I have now read quite a few of your posts and they...I have now read quite a few of your posts and they always leave me with a sense of satisfaction that thank goodness others get it.<br /><br />I know that "liberal" views on Christianity are not that rare but they seem to be around here. Either people seem to be full on evangelical or not interested in Christianity at all. There never seems to be any middle ground. I think that this is largely because most people think that it is all or nothing and the only form of Christianity that they are aware of is the noisiest one. <br /><br />I think that there is a lot to said for removing the religious pablum from the christian message.<br /><br />Are you able to comment on how this emerging Christianity (or whatever you prefer to call it)is developing in the US ?<br /><br />Thanks<br />FredFredhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17130125607109135131noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29179803.post-78974525873703571512008-04-25T11:30:00.000-04:002008-04-25T11:30:00.000-04:00Thanks for reading and posting, anon.Thanks for reading and posting, anon.Scotthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10535260741343975445noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29179803.post-70885542086850207292008-04-21T01:24:00.000-04:002008-04-21T01:24:00.000-04:00i loved that quote from the comic. thanks.i loved that quote from the comic. thanks.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com