How Long Will the Decline in Christian Identity Continue


Another poll came out showing the decline in Christian denominational identity and an increase in "nones", those who claim no identity with any branch of the faith. News about the decline in so regular and predictable it's almost not news.

There were a couple of interesting twists, however. "Mainline" branches showed a small untick and now outnumber the deep evangelical numbers. I have said since forever the Christianity that survives this change will be the liberal, not conservative, branches. Here is why this is inevitable.

Let's say you are a church member who attends more or less regularly. You believe there is a God and was a Jesus. Also, you believe there is sin and an afterlife of some kind. And, you enjoy church except for this: The preacher/priest rails against abortion, homosexuality, bi sexual and trans. Further, there are a few members who talk this way during after-service coffee. This makes you uncomfortable. You know and like a few gay people and parents of a trans.  You know you would not approve abortion in your personal life but don't want to judge for others. You learn there is a church on X Street that believes the same stuff about God and sin as you but doesn't preach about abortion and gay people. When something changes in your life, a move, a new preacher, children leave home, a pandemic, etc., it is an opening to change.

There was another small but interesting change, old people are slipping out of the faith a bit as well. Old people more often than the younger are in fixed circumstances, their home and friends. But, changes occur for them also, moving out of their house, etc. and it leaves an opening to do something they may have wanted to do--leave that old vindictive faith. 

All of this is not breaking new historical ground. It is a repeat of what happened in the 1950's and 60's with the end of segregation. As segregation became increasingly unpopular nationwide, the segregation branch of Christianity dug in deeper and deeper. Preachers that urged the congregations to accept change were replaced with ones who reinforced the Biblical taboo of fraternization with other races. "I have nothing against the Negro. I just believe the Bible is the word of God and it condemns mixing of the races." This is documented in a new book I'm reading, The Bible Told Them So. Like today's anti abortion and anti gay marriage Christians who claim they are "Bible based," segregationists read into the Bible what they wanted it to say. 

To this day the 1950-60 hatred toward black people hurts Southern churches. Today's hatred of gays, trans and women will harm conservative church membership for decades to come.

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