Christianity in the U.S. is no longer in decline, according to the latest Religious Landscape Study (RLS) conducted by Pew Research. The study, which surveyed 36,908 American adults, was cited by Lifeway Research.
Called the “largest study of religious identification and practice in America” by Lifeway Research, the data shows stability in the number of Americans identifying as Christians.
The study reveals that since 2019, the percentage of Christians in the U.S. has remained between 60% and 64%, which experts interpret as stable following decades of decline. The current figure stands at 62%, while the percentage of religiously unaffiliated individuals has plateaued.
“Most studies of U.S. religion had previously shown steady declines in Christianity that began in the late ‘90s and accelerated in the 2000s,” wrote Aaron Earls, senior writer for Lifeway Research.
“The latest findings from those studies, including Pew Research, find the decline has at least slowed, if not stopped completely. Since 2019, Christianity has hovered between 60% and 64%.
“That recent steadiness comes after years of decline evident in the previous two Religious Landscape Studies. The 2007 RLS found more than 3 in 4 Americans (78%) identified as Christian. That fell to 71% in 2014 before hitting 62% now.”
Regarding the religiously unaffiliated, or “nones,” the study indicates that “the nones have hit a ceiling after years of regular growth,” according to Earls.
“When asked their religious identity, around 3 in 10 Americans (29%) say they are atheists, agnostics, or ‘nothing in particular,’” Earls added.
“The RLS confirms other studies that had indicated the rise of the nones is over. This new religious context could change how churches relate to those around them.”
Protestants account for 40% of the U.S. population, compared to 51% in 2007. Nineteen percent identify as Catholic, down from 24% in 2007. The decline stopped in 2019 for Protestants and in 2014 for Catholics.
However, there are “significant differences” within Protestantism, wrote Earls.
“Evangelical Protestants have only dropped three percentage points since 2007, from 26% of the U.S. population to 23% in the most recent RLS. Similarly, the percentage of historically Black Protestants fell from 7% to 5%.
“Meanwhile, mainline Protestants dropped from 18% to 11%. This means most of the drop in Protestantism and almost half of the overall decline of Christianity stems from shrinking mainline Protestants.”
Pew Research cautioned that despite these signs of stability and continued interest in spirituality, “other indicators suggest we may see further declines in the American religious landscape in future years.
“Namely, younger Americans remain far less religious than older adults.”
