Evangelicalism in the U.S.

Tuesday March 10, 2009 ~ 5 Comments

Discussion continues on the American Religious Identification Study (ARIS) study I mentioned yesterday. One important distinction might be helpful in that conversation.

The Out of Ur Blog has posted data from both that study and iMonk's article in the Christian Science Monitor in a a new post, "Goodbye, Evangelicalism."

They shared some of the ARIS data:

That means that religious people are not simply being redistributed from one religion or denomination to another, but that more and more people are abandoning all faith altogether.

And some of the comments from iMonk (aka Michael Spencer) and his article in the Christian Science Monitor (which you should read in its entirety):

Bleak news, perhaps. But not as bleak, or specific, as Michael Spencer's observations at The Christian Science Monitor. Spencer argues, "We are on the verge--within 10 years--of a major collapse of evangelical Christianity. This breakdown will follow the deterioration of the mainline Protestant world and it will fundamentally alter the religious and cultural environment in the West."

I posted this comment at the Out of Ur blog and thought it might be helpful to include that here:

Brandon,

I would add that this study is a well done project that should be disturbing to the church. Thanks for highlighting both the ARIS and the CSM article.

But, it is important to note that although iMonk provided an articulate and provocative case in his CSM essay, the ARIS study actually showed an INCREASE in the number of self-identified evangelicals, with a simultaneous decline in self-identified Christians.

So, the study shows the percentage of self-identified Christians is in decline but that is not the same thing as a great crackup of evangelicals. That may indeed be coming (and I have written on that myself), but the ARIS did not show such a trend.

Thanks for the good writing.

Ed Stetzer
www.edstetzer.com

Be sure to go by the Out of Ur blog, read the whole post, and join in the dialogue there.

Of course, feel free to comment here as well.

Posted on March 10, 2009 at 1:42 PM ~ 5 Comments

Tagged with: ARIS, research

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5 Comments

By Steve on March 10, 2009 3:51 PM

Ed, would there be a similar decline on other social organisations that reflects rather the depersonalisation of Western Society through the promulgation of insulating technologies such as ipod, computers and tv?
Would there be a similar decline in clubs and youth organisations like scouts etc?
Evangelicalism per se is not on the decline, rather it is personal interaction in small groups and organised structured groups that is on the decline.
Evangelical Christians do offer a solution, and Baptists most certainly offer a solution however the crisis I believe is the secularisation of the Western World through being "entertained to death".
Steve

By Todd on March 10, 2009 3:56 PM

Ed,
I am hoping some pay careful attention to the distinction you make. So either we are to assume the increase in the self-identified evangelical in some offsets the decline in self-identified Christians?

On the other hand, I know a number who have decided that the way to be Christian in the popular sense is not enough and so they refuse to self-identify with the label, not the Christ.

By jake snodgrass on March 10, 2009 4:30 PM

Yeah I don't think that evangelicalism is going to collapse in the next ten years to the extent many mainliners have or will. However, I do think that there will be a dramatic shift in evangelicalism moving it to a more urban faith rather than rural. I think it goes along with moving trends but also if you visit a lot of small town churches there are a lot of blue hairs in the crowd that won't be there in 20 years. While cities are providing church going alternatives for younger adults, younger adults in rural areas aren't being reached.

By Dave Travis on March 14, 2009 9:26 AM

Ed,
Good post. And don't forget that the person that did the ARIS study has a clear bias. Look at the organization he works for. He went looking for a certain story and of course he found it.
Dave

By Steve on March 30, 2009 11:16 PM

I think Spencer's assessments are a bit too hasty. My primary issue with his conclusion is that he seems to define "evangelicalism" with church affiliation. But if we are to take David Bebbington's four marks of evangelicalism, church affiliation doesn't figure into the definition of evangelicalism. For more on this, see my blog: http://www.semaphoric.org/culture/rumors-of-my-death-have-been-greatly-exaggerated

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