Religion in America

What does it mean to be a religious American? A recent survey of religion in the United States sheds light on how Americans would answer that question. The survey attempted to combine theological, economic and social perspectives in order to develop a new religious orientation scale.

Last week, the Public Religious Research Institute and the Brookings Institute released a report analyzing the data from the survey. Here is some of what they discovered (source):

• Religious progressives are significantly younger and more diverse than their conservative counterparts.
• Twenty-three percent of Millennials (ages 18-33) are religious progressives, while 17 percent are religious conservatives.
• Among Millennials, there are also nearly as many nonreligious (22 percent) as religious progressives.
• Conversely, 12 percent of the Silent Generation (ages 66-88) are religious progressives, while 47 percent are religious conservatives.
• One in ten (10 percent) of the Silent Generation are nonreligious.

In brief, unless something changes, the religious makeup of America will grow increasingly progressive or nonreligious. Whereas the senior population identifies overwhelmingly as conservative (47 percent vs. 12 percent identifying as “progressive”), the Millennials run in the other direction (17 percent conservative, 23 percent progressive, 22 percent nonreligious).

“The percentage of religious conservatives shrinks in each successive generation, with religious progressives outnumbering religious conservatives in the Millennial generation,” said Dr. Robert P. Jones, CEO of Public Religion Research Institute.

However, my grandma once told me that I would agree with her the older I got because “you become more conservative as you have more to conserve.” When she was a young woman (she was born in 1908) Rhobenia would have been considered a progressive. She drove by herself from Indiana to California to get a degree in dress making. Then, she drove by herself all the way back. I know a lot of women that wouldn’t make that trip today let alone in the days of no cell phones, no GPS, no gas stations at every exit and no AAA roadside assistance. But by the time I was old enough to listen well (I was born in 1968) my grandma was conservative by every definition. Having worked tirelessly alongside my tenant-farming grandfather through the depression and war years, my grandmother knew how to live well on little. More importantly she counted herself and her family blessed by God, no matter the circumstances of life.

I take my grandmother’s word for it that at least some percentage of young people who have the luxury of being progressive today will find themselves growing more and more conservative as real work and real responsibilities become their reality. But I digress … back to the survey results about being religious in America today.

Faith vs. Works

What is fascinating is the difference between progressives and conservatives in the very notion of what it means to be a religious person. Compare:

• Nearly 8 in 10 (79 percent) religious progressives say that being a religious person is mostly about doing the right thing, compared to 16 percent who say it is about holding the right beliefs.
• A majority of religious conservatives (54 percent), on the other hand, say being a religious person is primarily about having the right beliefs, while 38 percent say it is mostly about doing the right thing.

This particular difference between progressives and conservatives might at first glance seem to be little more than a demographic illustration of the “faith vs. works” or “word vs. deed” debate of old. Some might even say that this discussion began when the books of Romans (faith) and James (works) were penned.

Romans 3:28 For we hold that one is justified by faith apart from works of the law.

James 2:18 But someone will say, “You have faith and I have works.” Show me your faith apart from your works, and I will show you my faith by my works.

But not so fast. First, Paul and James were not pitting faith and works against each other. Rather, Paul showed that justification (by faith alone) is the root of our salvation and works is the fruit of it (and if no fruit, then no root).

Second, though surveys may be able to discover a respondent’s emphasis on one or the other (faith / works), is it really fair to either side to equate an emphasis with an exclusive position? These questions can be like asking a kid which he likes best — the peanut butter or the jelly. The fact that he’s working on his fourth PBJ might be the better indication of his delight.

When conservatives emphasize that being a religious person is mostly about holding right beliefs, does this mean they have no works to show for their faith?

Or, when progressives say that being a religious person is mostly about doing the right thing, does this mean they have jettisoned doctrine and theology?

Sure, the stereotypes are there for a reason – there is some bit of truth to them. But pre-identifying everyone with such stereotypes is mental sloth.

Orthodoxy and orthopraxy – a Christian must both believe rightly and live rightly. If a pollster asks you, “Is being a Christian mostly about believing the right thing or doing the right thing?” …just answer “yes.”

So, what do Americans mean when they identify themselves as “religious”?

Perhaps the better question we can ask ourselves and our neighbor is: “Who do you say that Christ is?” Whereas the survey question describes current demographic reality, the question of Christ’s identity (and our identity with Him) prescribes an eternal theological reality.

“You can shut Him up for a fool, you can spit at Him and kill Him as a demon; or you can fall at His feet and call Him Lord and God.

C.S. Lewis, Mere Christianity

“Jesus is Lord” is both a call to believe in a living (“is”) Jesus and a call to obey Him as Lord.

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Note: The entire survey had a lot more interesting material contained in it — content related to the intersection of economics, politics and religion. You can access the entire PRRI/Brookings report here (PDF).