Pew: Long-running decline in religiosity in US comes to halt
The Pew Research Center has announced that the long-running decline in religiosity in the United States has come to a halt, although there is no evidence of a widespread religious revival across American society.
In its latest report, Pew said that after years of steady decline, levels of religiosity in the US have stabilized. The findings are based on recent surveys and data collected from different age groups and social segments.
According to the Pew Research Center, one of the world’s most respected institutions for social and religious studies, the number of people identifying as religiously unaffiliated or non-religious is no longer increasing at the pace seen in previous years. However, the report stresses that this stabilization does not indicate a broad return to religious belief or practice.
The New York Times, citing the report, noted that recent surveys suggest religious trends in the US have reached a relative plateau, while active participation in places of worship and religious rituals remains low.
The report also indicates that a large portion of the population continues to retain cultural values and attitudes linked to religion, even as direct engagement with traditional religious institutions has declined.
The Washington Post, also referencing the findings, reported that while the slowdown in declining religiosity may have implications for US politics, education, and culture, it should not be interpreted as a revival of traditional religious activity.
Analysts say the changes reflect a stabilization of personal and cultural attitudes toward religion rather than a return to organized religious institutions. Pew’s findings suggest American society has entered a new phase in which declining religiosity has paused, but significant growth in religious participation has not occurred.
