SojoMail - US Christianity is declining; fear not

7 Reasons Not to Freak-out About Decline of US Christianity Mitchell Atencio On Sept. 13, Pew Research Center released four hypothetical scenarios that model what the religious landscape of the United States might look like if current demographic trends continue. The four models projected that the U.S. population who identify as Christian would decrease from 64 percent in 2020 to between 35-54 in 2070. Though Pew’s models aren’t predictions of the future, the scenarios they present would continue the last 30 years of accelerating decline of self-identified Christians, and the increased self-identification of “nones” — people who don’t identify with any religion in particular. A reversal of these trends is certainly not impossible, but Stephanie Kramer, a senior researcher with Pew, told Christianity Today that it’s unlikely. “We’ve never seen it, and we don’t have the data to model a religious reversal,” Kramer told CT. Sojourners asked faith writers, theologians, and activists to reflect on the scenarios Pew presented. The responders offered brief reflections by email on how Christians today might respond to the trends, and what Christianity in 2070 ought to look like, whether in the majority or minority. Largely, respondents rebuked the idea that Pew’s scenarios should prompt U.S. Christians to freak-out. “God cares more about the wholeness of all people rather than the power of one group,” Danté Stewart told Sojourners. “We should as well.” READ THE RESPONSES Forward Share

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