Study shows high turnover of religious affiliation

Wineskins Editor's Note: During Lent, Consider using the findings in the following study as a way not to objectify religion or the "landscape" but to reflect on your own experience, your family experience, and where your own spiritual journey is taking you and how that fits into the context of this study.

WASHINGTON, D.C.—Feb. 25, 2008—The Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life today released the first report of the U.S. Religious Landscape Survey, which finds that a remarkably high number of people have changed their religious affiliation since childhood. The report details the religious affiliation of the American public and explores the remarkable dynamism taking place in the U.S. religious marketplace.

“People will be surprised by the amount of movement by Americans from one religious group to another – or to no religion at all,” said Luis Lugo, director of the Pew Forum. “They’ll also be surprised by the extent to which immigration is helping to reshape the U.S. religious landscape.”

Based on interviews conducted in English and Spanish with a nationally representative sample of over 35,000 adults, the survey provides estimates of the size of religious groups that are as small as three-tenths of 1 percent of the adult population. The report also describes changes in religious affiliation and analyzes the relationship between religious affiliation and various demographic factors, including age, ethnicity, nativity, educational and income levels, gender, family composition and regional distribution (including state breakdowns).

“We hope that the U.S. Religious Landscape Survey will contribute to a better understanding of the important role that religion plays in the personal and public lives of most Americans,” Lugo added.

The first report of the U.S. Religious Landscape Survey finds that:

More than a quarter of American adults have left the faith of their childhood in favor of another religion – or no religion at all. If change in affiliation from one type of Protestantism to another is included, roughly 44% of American adults have either switched religious affiliation, moved from being unaffiliated with any religion to being affiliated with a particular faith, or dropped any connection to a specific religious tradition altogether.

The number of adults who say they are not affiliated with any particular faith today (16.1%) is more than double the number who say they were not affiliated with a particular religion as children. Men are significantly more likely than women to claim no religious affiliation. Among Americans ages 18-29, one-in-four say they are not currently affiliated with a particular religion. At the same time, the majority of people who were not affiliated with any particular religion as a child now say that they are associated with a religious group.

The U.S. is on the verge of becoming a minority Protestant country. The number of Americans who are affiliated with Protestant denominations now stands at barely over 51%; as recently as the mid-1980s, in contrast, surveys found that approximately two-thirds of the population was Protestant.

The Catholic share of the U.S. adult population has held fairly steady in recent decades. What this apparent stability obscures, however, is the large number of people who have left the Catholic Church. Approximately one-third of the survey respondents who were raised Catholic no longer describe themselves as Catholic; this means roughly 10% of all Americans are former Catholics. These losses, however, have been offset partly by the number of people joining the Catholic Church but mostly by the disproportionately high number of Catholics among immigrants to the U.S. The result is that the total percentage of the population that identifies as Catholic (roughly one-in-four) has remained fairly stable.

Latinos currently account for nearly one-in-three adult Catholics in the U.S. and may account for an even larger share of U.S. Catholics in the future. Although Latinos represent just one-in-eight U.S. Catholics age 70 and older (12%), they account for nearly half of all Catholics ages 18-29 (45%). Immigrants also are disproportionately represented among several world religions in the U.S., including Islam and Hinduism.

The Midwest most closely resembles the religious makeup of the overall adult population of the U.S. The South, by a wide margin, has the heaviest concentration of members of evangelical Protestant churches. The Northeast has the greatest concentration of Catholics, and the West has the largest proportion of unaffiliated people, including the largest proportion of atheists and agnostics.

Among people who are married, nearly four-in-ten (37%) are married to a spouse with a different religious affiliation. This figure includes Protestants who are married to another Protestant from a different denominational family, such as a Baptist who is married to a Methodist.

Hindus and Mormons are the most likely to be married (78% and 71%, respectively) and to be married to someone of the same religion (90% and 83%, respectively). Mormons and Muslims are the groups with the largest families; more than one-in-five Mormon and 15% of Muslim adults in the U.S. have three or more children living at home.

Nearly half of Hindus in the U.S., one-third of Jews and a quarter of Buddhists have obtained post-graduate education, compared with only about one-in-ten of the adult population overall. Hindus and Jews are also much more likely than other groups to report high income levels.

In sharp contrast to Islam and Hinduism, Buddhism in the United States is primarily made up of native-born adherents, whites and converts. Only one-in-three American Buddhists describe their race as Asian, and three-in-four Buddhists say they are converts to Buddhism.

In conjunction with the release of this report, the Pew Forum is introducing new features on its website at Pew Forum. The online presentation of the findings includes interactive mapping, dynamic charts and a variety of other tools that are designed to help users delve deeper into the material.

The Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life is a nonpartisan, non-advocacy organization and does not take positions on policy debates. Based in Washington, D.C., the Forum is a project of the Pew Research Center, which is funded by The Pew Charitable Trusts.

Padre Pio

A book about Padre Pio sent to me today from Paraclete Press takes me back to Italy when I was 19 years old at Harding University in Florence. We took art and music appreciation, and though we visited many a church, we did not take "monastery appreciation." So much of the rich heritage of monastic life in Italy was lost on our youth.

One of the most adored saints in the Catholic Church in the 20th century was Padre Pio, a name given to him in his monastic work that means "a father who is pious." Padre Pio died in 1968.

Here is one of his "letters" from the new Paraclete Press book, Words of Light: Inspiration from the Letters of Padre Pio:

O God, if everyone knew your severity, just like they knew your seetness, which creature would be so foolish as to dare to offend you? My God, you, who are very just and very good, show the severity of your justice to all those who dare to offend you, so that they might learn, if not to love you, at least to fear you.

One feature of this book resembles Mother Teresa of Calcutta's recent published revelations that she went through dark periods. Christopher Hitchens, one of the world's best-known atheists today, pointed to Mother Teresa's comments as evidence that her life was somehow wasted or even a fraud. Here is a second selection from Padre Pio's letters:

My spirit is continually caught up in the darkness, which becomes ever thicker. The temptations against the faith continue to grow and grow. I live, therefore, always in the dark; I try to see, but in vain. My God, when will I see you arise, I don't expect the sun, but at least the dawn? I am sustained by the world of authority alone.

Paraclete Press (800-451-5006) has many great books--my favorite are ones written by Scot McKnight.

Cathy Messecar writes about praying for each country of the world during lent

A few years ago, during Lent, I prayed for countries I've never visited: Sri Lanka, Thailand, Tokelau Islands, Tonga, Tuzalu, Vanuatu, Vietnam, Wallis and Futuna Islands.

By the time Palm Sunday arrived, I’d prayed for all the nations of the world.

The excellent prayer guide “Seek God for the City” from http://www.waymakers.org helped me start.

In addition to the nations of the world, daily prayers in the guide suggest praying for people in my community: poor people, health care workers, broken families, soldiers, sick people, those unemployed, prisoners, disabled people, children and teens, mothers, arts and entertainment workers, those depressed and substance abusers.

After the 40 days, I felt more akin, in tune, yoked to Christ because my pleas and praise were not limited to the minority of people I know, but for this world as a whole and in part.

The guide helped me pray more comprehensive prayers than ever before. And, the very reasonable price of $3.00 sent me back for another guide this year. Even though we are already into the 40 days of Lent, I encourage readers to purchase a prayer guide. After you’ve prayed through it, place it by a December 2008 calendar page, as a reminder to purchase one for Lent 2009.

Way Makers offer other prayer materials at nominal fees of about $2.00 a booklet with discounts for quantities: What Would Jesus Pray, Light from My House and Prompts for Prayerwalkers, Blessings and Open My City.

Each prayer in the guide I used ended with “Even so, come, Lord Jesus.” And, one of my favorite lines from a petition about welcoming Christ, “And may your mercy amaze us even more than miracles.” I found the booklet to be one of the most helpful of prayer tools. But overriding any tool was the knowledge that God hears and heeds the sincere—from the simplest to the most organized prayer, poorly worded or eloquently stated.

My hope is based on the mercy of his hearing.

Cathy Messecar is author of Stained Glass Pickup and the forthcoming book, A Scrapbook of Christmas Firsts (both books by Leafwood Publishers).

What is Lent and why do we do it?

One of my uncles wrote an email saying he was shocked that I am part of promoting a "non-biblical" idea like Lent.

Technically, my uncle is right. Lent is not a word or concept found in Scripture but the practices of Lent run throughout the Bible: renewal, repentance, return to the road to the cross and empty tomb of Christ, where we find our life.

I responded to my uncle by saying I remember good times in his home many years ago praying, singing, reading Scripture. I simply added that what we are doing with Lent is a lot like those times in my uncle's house. We are encouraging Wineskins readers to form habits of prayer year-round and Lent is a particular time that we reflect, repent, and renew as we focus on the way of the cross and discipleship in Christ.

As we did last year, we again offer a dialogue by the late Robert E. Webber that is meant for groups, particularly where children can ask the question and a reply can be given during a devotional time. Use the following that way or just to help you understand what Lent is and why many Christians practice it.

Lent: Inquiry and Instruction

By Robert E. Webber

Question: What is the meaning of the word Lent?

Answer: It has no religious meaning like Advent or Pentecost. It comes from an Anglo-Saxon word, Lencten, meaning "spring."

Question: Why do we observe Lent?

Answer: The purpose of Lent is to provide a time for us to enter into the suffering of Jesus and to go with Him to the tomb.

Question: How can we do this?

Answer: The experience of the people of God who have gone before us is that we best identify with Jesus by adopting a discipline of prayer, fasting, almsgiving.

Question: How should we pray?

Answer: Our prayer may be a spiritual meditation on Jesus Christ--His teaching, His suffering, His death on our behalf.

Question: Why should we fast?

Answer: Fasting is an aid to prayer. Years ago Augustine wrote, "When a man imposes on himself the burden of fasting, he shows that he really wants what he is asking for." Christians fast in order to pray more intently.

Question: What is the purpose of almsgiving?

Answer: We give alms to the poor and needy because it is a specific expression of the brotherly love produced by prayer. The closer we are to Jesus, the more we care for our neighbor.

Source: Robert Webber, The Family Book of Prayer (Hendrickson, 1996).

40-Day Guide for Lent and Easter

Lent starts today. Lent is 40 days of reflection, repentance, and renewal leading up to Easter.

With permission from SimpleLiving.org, Wineskins is reprinting "40-Day Guide for Lent and Easter," and we believe this calendar will be a useful tool for you to print out today and discuss with your family and friends.


40-Day Guide for Lent and Easter

In a modern culture that places high value on immediate gratification, the idea of "disciplines" seems out of place. While "disciplines" in the form of exercise routines are recognized as necessary for good physical health, the need for "disciplines" for spiritual health is not so widely recognized. Observance of a Lenten discipline can be an important way to gain new perspectives about ourselves and what it means to follow Jesus today. It is also a way to help develop "a spirituality of cultural resistance." That is the purpose of this 40-Day Calendar.

We listen to discern God's desires for our lives and world. Suggestions for thought or action are offered for each of the 40 days of Lent. Set aside time each day to consider the day's suggestion, preferably as a household.

Throughout Lent reflect on the 5 Life Standards of Voluntary Simplicity:

* Do Justice
* Learn from the World Community
* Nurture People (not things)
* Cherish the Natural Order (Care for Creation)
* Non-conform Freely

Choose a project you want to support, and find an empty container to collect your offerings. Make a pledge - a "token" for an adult may be $1; for a child, 25¢; for a household, $5. At the end of the 40 days, the organization of your choice will be pleased at your generosity.


1 Ash Wednesday. Read Matthew 6:1. Fasting, praying and almsgiving are common Lenten practices. Matthew 6:1 grounds these in justice. How might these activities promote more justice in our world? Am I willing to give alms, pray and fast this Lent? Find a quiet place to pray and reflect this Lent.

2 Thursday. For the next two days, turn off the car radio as you travel. Use this time for quiet reflection. Pray: Faithful God, Forgive my waste of non-renewable resources. Help me consider ways to travel that use less fuel. In Jesus' name. Amen. Give one token for every mile you drive these two days.

3 Friday. Read Matthew 6:19-21. Consider St. Valentine's Day, named for the patron saint of prisoners. Learn more about the real meaning of his life, not the commercial meaning foisted on us each year. Pray for prisoners, prison guards and prison chaplains.

4 Saturday. PRAY: O God, you know us for who we are. Call us to acts of self-denial in which we may identify with your Son and all who suffer. Save us from our ignorance, excuses and pretensions, so that we may truly grow in spirit and commitment. Amen.

First Sunday in Lent. Read Matthew 4:1-11. Am I willing to enter "the wilderness?" Consider that children suffer most from hunger. More than 30,000 children die every day from hunger related causes. (UNICEF) Give a token for every soft drink you decide not to consume this week. Give two tokens for every one you do drink.

5 Monday. To help control overconsumption, try the "halving principle" for toothpaste, shampoo, etc. Use only half the amount you normally use. Magically the tube gets twice as big. Start halving one thing each day or week.

6 Tuesday. Consider displaying an Earth flag or decal along with or instead of a US flag as a way of focusing on the need for global justice. Consider posting "God Bless the World," in addition to "God Bless America."

7 Wednesday. Remember a time you were tempted to purchase something you really didn't need. What forces were at play? Consider using this time of Lent to develop better consumer habits. At least till the end of Lent, try to buy only those things you really need. Journal your experience.

8 Thursday. What are your special gifts or talents? List them. How are we tempted by arrogance or pride to use our gifts primarily for our own satisfaction or personal gain? Offer praise to God for your gifts. Give one token for each gift you listed.

9 Friday. Power represents the ability to influence. How do you have power over others? Do you ever misuse your power or position of authority? Give a token for each case of abuse you can remember.

10 Saturday. In To Dance with God, Gertrud Mueller writes, "Perhaps prayer is less an exercise to get God, out there in never-never land, to hear us, as it is our hearing and responding to God as [God] reveals [God's] self to us...." Spend 15 to 30 minutes in silent reflection.

Second Sunday in Lent. Read John 3:1-17. In terms of materialism, how can I be "born from above?"

11 Monday. This week apply the "halving principle" not only to products but also to unhealthy habits, such as overconsumption of caffeine (like coffee) and highly processed snacks and convenience foods.

12 Tuesday. Our water is both precious and finite. While water covers 3/4 of the earth's surface, 97.4% is salt water; 1.8% is frozen; only 0.8% is fresh water. Prayer before showering: Generous God, Thank You for water, a resource vital for all life. Help me use only the water I need. In Jesus' name. Amen.

13 Wednesday. Consider "investing" in micro-enterprises, usually run by women in Third World Countries. Small loans help them to start businesses to support their families. The rate of repayment is very high.

14 Thursday. Spend some time outside today. Pay attention to what is going on around you. How does the wind feel against your skin? What sounds do you hear? Is the Earth beginning to be reborn into spring?

15 Friday. 25% of the food in North America is wasted! - from spoilage at grocery stores, restaurant discards and the back of refrigerators. When dining at a restaurant, consider splitting one entree. Add a soup or salad if needed. Also, learn about gleaning... sharing surplus food from fields, restaurants, grocery stores with hungry people in your community. How does this promote the biblical concept of "Jubilee?"

16 Saturday. PRAY: O God, Giver of life and light, call us from our wombs of security and isolation to rebirth into the world you are creating; call us from the darkness of our fears and anxieties to the daytime of hope and confidence in your ministry. Amen

Third Sunday in Lent. Read John 4:5-42. Who are the Samaritans that I avoid in my life? We like to think that we are beyond the schoolyard days of shunning or tormenting another. Are there any "outsiders" in my life today?

17 Monday. This week work on halving negative attitudes about others and unhealthy attitudes about ourselves. Replace half the negative thoughts with positive affirmations and prayer.

18 Tuesday. Make it a point to smile today. Warmly greet each person you encounter. Give one token for every person you are privileged to speak with today.

19 Wednesday. The average African woman must carry water four hours each day. Give two tokens for each glass of water you drink today. Jesus offered the Samaritan woman "living water." Are there times when we are spiritually thirsty? How are we sustained by "living water"?

20 Thursday. "You shall not covet... anything that is your neighbor's." The ten commandments are not prioritized. This may be the last one but it's no less important than the others. It provides a strong impetus to simplify. How does coveting underlie much of consumerism?

21 Friday. Typical outdoor watering uses 10 gallons of water per minute. Do you live in an area with water restrictions? Collect rain water in a rain barrel to water indoor and outdoor plants. Consider using grey water from showers and laundering to flush toilets.

22 Saturday. Read Psalm 95. Prayer while taking a step to simplify: Patient God, thank you for always giving me the grace to live more as a disciple of Jesus. In his name. Amen.

Fourth Sunday in Lent. Read John 9:1-41. When might my religious observance get in the way of "seeing?"

23 Monday. Jesus broke the law to heal the blind man. Do you know of any other people who have broken laws to minister to others? Why did they do it?

24 Tuesday. The Pharisees were on the lookout for actions they could use to condemn Jesus. When we are "against" someone, do we, like the Pharisees, search for ways to support our attitudes? How is God calling us to reassess our attitudes?

25 Wednesday. Many U.S. assembly plants in developing countries dump toxic waste in remote areas or simply flush wastes down the drain. Do we know where the items we buy are made? Pray for the vision to understand how our lifestyle choices affect other people.

26 Thursday: Be open to the diversity of nationalities. For example, "Hispanics" are not all the same! Be open to the contributions and the needs of people from Central America. Read about a different Central American country or custom each day this week. Wear an item from Central America.

27 Friday. Look forward to TV-Free Week. Escape the Fantasy! No more radiation, laugh tracks or gratuitous sex and violence. Once we try real life, we may never want to go back to the simulated variety again. Info at (800) 939-6737.

28 Saturday. Prayer while shopping. God of mystery, please help me decide if I really need this item or if I should save the money or give it away instead. In Jesus' name. Amen.

Fifth Sunday in Lent. Read John 11:1-45. What tombs keep me from a resurrected life?

29 Monday. This week work on "halving" wasteful habits - halve the time the thermostat is above 68 degrees, the times the tap running is left running while shaving or brushing teeth. Think of at least 10 ways to reduce waste in life and home.

30 Tuesday. Look forward to Earth Day this Spring. Plan now. Consider planting trees - the fourth "R" (Reduce, Reuse, Recycle, RESTORE).

31 Wednesday. It takes 2,500 gallons of water to produce one pound of beef for our table. Plan today's meals without meat. When eating meat, pray: Loving God, Thank You for creating this animal that I may be nourished. Let me never waste any of Your creation. In Jesus' name. Amen.

32 Thursday. What non-monetary gift can we offer another today? A listening ear? A renewed effort at patience or understanding? A kind word? Your sense of humor?

33 Friday. Recall times when identification with people who were suffering meant making yourself more vulnerable? Give one token for each such occasion in the past year. Give two tokens for each such occasion in the past year when you didn't take the risk.

34 Saturday. O God, help us to see beyond the waving of palms to the cost of discipleship. Our Father, who art in heaven...

Sixth Sunday in Lent (Palm/Passion Sunday). Read Matthew 21:1-11. What "garments" do I need to lay down before my God?

35 Monday. Read John 12:1-11. Mary used costly perfume to anoint Jesus' feet. What is valuable in your life today? time? money? relationships? How can you use these things to honor Jesus?

36 Tuesday. Read John 12:20-36. What still needs to be "lost" in my lifestyle?

37 Wednesday. Read John 13:21-32 aloud at dinner tonight. Who are today's "beloved disciples"?

38 Maundy Thursday. Before dinner wash each other's hands gently and reflectively. Read John 13:1-17, 31b-35.

39 Good Friday. Read John 18:1-19:42. Over 100 years ago, Thomas Carlyle wrote, "If Jesus Christ were to come today, people would not even crucify him. They would ask him to dinner, and hear what he had to say, and make fun of it." How do you crucify Jesus today?

40 Saturday: Easter Eve. How does violence undermine a simple lifestyle?

Easter Sunday. Read Luke 24:13-49.


This 40 day Lenten guide, based on liturgical cycle A: Matthew, is excerpted from "30 Years of Alternatives," a new collection celebrating Alternatives' 30th anniversary in 2003.

Use this 40-day guide for your personal inspiration and growth. Share it with others!

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More Lent and Easter resources are available in Alternatives' collection "Who's Risen from the Dead, Anyway?" Read it at http://www.simpleliving.org/Archives/XRisen/index.php.

Alternatives' mission is to "equip people of faith to challenge consumerism, live justly and celebrate responsibly." For resources for Advent and Christmas, Lent and Easter, weddings and other celebrations - some in Spanish - contact ALTERNATIVES, 109 Gaul Dr. * P.O. Box 340 * Sergeant Bluff, Iowa 51054 (800/821-6153 * 712/943-6153 * Fax: 712/943-1402 or email alternatives@simpleliving.org * SimpleLiving.org