Mark Chaves
- Published in print:
- 2011
- Published Online:
- October 2017
- ISBN:
- 9780691146850
- eISBN:
- 9781400839957
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Princeton University Press
- DOI:
- 10.23943/princeton/9780691146850.003.0009
- Subject:
- Religion, Religion and Society
This concluding chapter argues that based on the religious trends documented in this book, no indicator of traditional religious belief or practice is going up. There is much continuity and some ...
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This concluding chapter argues that based on the religious trends documented in this book, no indicator of traditional religious belief or practice is going up. There is much continuity and some decline. There is more religious diversity, there are shifting fortunes for liberal and conservative Protestant denominations, and there are troubling signs about the state of religious leadership. Moreover, changes are occurring inside congregations, and there is a tighter connection between religious service attendance and political, social, and religious conservatism. There is also more diffuse spirituality, but this diffuse spirituality should not be mistaken for an increase in traditional religiosity. As such, if there is a trend, it is toward less religion.Less
This concluding chapter argues that based on the religious trends documented in this book, no indicator of traditional religious belief or practice is going up. There is much continuity and some decline. There is more religious diversity, there are shifting fortunes for liberal and conservative Protestant denominations, and there are troubling signs about the state of religious leadership. Moreover, changes are occurring inside congregations, and there is a tighter connection between religious service attendance and political, social, and religious conservatism. There is also more diffuse spirituality, but this diffuse spirituality should not be mistaken for an increase in traditional religiosity. As such, if there is a trend, it is toward less religion.
Mark Chaves
- Published in print:
- 2011
- Published Online:
- October 2017
- ISBN:
- 9780691146850
- eISBN:
- 9781400839957
- Item type:
- book
- Publisher:
- Princeton University Press
- DOI:
- 10.23943/princeton/9780691146850.001.0001
- Subject:
- Religion, Religion and Society
Most Americans say they believe in God, and more than a third say they attend religious services every week. Yet studies show that people do not really go to church as often as they claim, and it is ...
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Most Americans say they believe in God, and more than a third say they attend religious services every week. Yet studies show that people do not really go to church as often as they claim, and it is not always clear what they mean when they tell pollsters they believe in God or pray. This book presents up-to-date information about religious trends in the United States, in a succinct and accessible manner. The book provides essential information about key developments in American religion since 1972, and is the first major resource of its kind to appear in more than two decades. The book looks at trends in diversity, belief, involvement, congregational life, leadership, liberal Protestant decline, and polarization. It draws on two important surveys: the General Social Survey, an ongoing survey of Americans' changing attitudes and behaviors, begun in 1972; and the National Congregations Study, a survey of American religious congregations across the religious spectrum. The book finds that American religious life has seen much continuity in recent decades, but also much change. It challenges the popular notion that religion is witnessing a resurgence in the United States—in fact, traditional belief and practice is either stable or declining. The book examines why the decline in liberal Protestant denominations has been accompanied by the spread of liberal Protestant attitudes about religious and social tolerance, how confidence in religious institutions has declined more than confidence in secular institutions, and a host of other crucial trends.Less
Most Americans say they believe in God, and more than a third say they attend religious services every week. Yet studies show that people do not really go to church as often as they claim, and it is not always clear what they mean when they tell pollsters they believe in God or pray. This book presents up-to-date information about religious trends in the United States, in a succinct and accessible manner. The book provides essential information about key developments in American religion since 1972, and is the first major resource of its kind to appear in more than two decades. The book looks at trends in diversity, belief, involvement, congregational life, leadership, liberal Protestant decline, and polarization. It draws on two important surveys: the General Social Survey, an ongoing survey of Americans' changing attitudes and behaviors, begun in 1972; and the National Congregations Study, a survey of American religious congregations across the religious spectrum. The book finds that American religious life has seen much continuity in recent decades, but also much change. It challenges the popular notion that religion is witnessing a resurgence in the United States—in fact, traditional belief and practice is either stable or declining. The book examines why the decline in liberal Protestant denominations has been accompanied by the spread of liberal Protestant attitudes about religious and social tolerance, how confidence in religious institutions has declined more than confidence in secular institutions, and a host of other crucial trends.
Paul Marshall, Lela Gilbert, and Roberta Green-Ahmanson (eds)
- Published in print:
- 2009
- Published Online:
- January 2009
- ISBN:
- 9780195374360
- eISBN:
- 9780199871902
- Item type:
- book
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780195374360.001.0001
- Subject:
- Religion, Religion and Society
This book analyzes media coverage of major news stories in which religion is a major component and recounts how journalist often miss, or misunderstand, these stories because they do not take ...
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This book analyzes media coverage of major news stories in which religion is a major component and recounts how journalist often miss, or misunderstand, these stories because they do not take religion seriously, or misunderstand religion when they do take it seriously. Since religion is a major and growing factor in human affairs throughout the world and, hence in major news stories, including those stories often mislabeled “secular,” if reporters do not take it seriously or understand it, then they will be poorer reporters. To the extent that journalists do not grasp events’ religious dimensions, both global and local, they are hindered from, and sometimes incapable of, describing what is happening in the world around us. The book contains six case studies that each describe an important event, issue, trend, problem, or situation, seek to show the centrality of religion to the story, then outline how journalists actually covered it, and how they often got it wrong. The two concluding chapters focus on ways, both conceptual and practical, of improving coverage.Less
This book analyzes media coverage of major news stories in which religion is a major component and recounts how journalist often miss, or misunderstand, these stories because they do not take religion seriously, or misunderstand religion when they do take it seriously. Since religion is a major and growing factor in human affairs throughout the world and, hence in major news stories, including those stories often mislabeled “secular,” if reporters do not take it seriously or understand it, then they will be poorer reporters. To the extent that journalists do not grasp events’ religious dimensions, both global and local, they are hindered from, and sometimes incapable of, describing what is happening in the world around us. The book contains six case studies that each describe an important event, issue, trend, problem, or situation, seek to show the centrality of religion to the story, then outline how journalists actually covered it, and how they often got it wrong. The two concluding chapters focus on ways, both conceptual and practical, of improving coverage.
Stephen Haliczer
- Published in print:
- 2002
- Published Online:
- November 2003
- ISBN:
- 9780195148633
- eISBN:
- 9780199869923
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/0195148630.003.0004
- Subject:
- Religion, History of Christianity
Concerned that educated women would threaten male authority in religion and politics, a misogynous culture of male domination emerged to subordinate and restrict women's lives. Still concerned with ...
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Concerned that educated women would threaten male authority in religion and politics, a misogynous culture of male domination emerged to subordinate and restrict women's lives. Still concerned with potential heterodox threats, the church found itself in the paradoxical position of needing to enforce a conservative orthodoxy while at the same time not wanting to alienate those followers of popular religious trends who were also devoutly Catholic. As such, many women mystics who were prominent in popular movements were supported and even canonized. The spiritual piety of these women achieved greater and greater recognition and their writings flourished. Many, however, were wholly dependent upon their male spiritual advisors who had the power to determine their success or failure as mystics.Less
Concerned that educated women would threaten male authority in religion and politics, a misogynous culture of male domination emerged to subordinate and restrict women's lives. Still concerned with potential heterodox threats, the church found itself in the paradoxical position of needing to enforce a conservative orthodoxy while at the same time not wanting to alienate those followers of popular religious trends who were also devoutly Catholic. As such, many women mystics who were prominent in popular movements were supported and even canonized. The spiritual piety of these women achieved greater and greater recognition and their writings flourished. Many, however, were wholly dependent upon their male spiritual advisors who had the power to determine their success or failure as mystics.
Roger Finke and Jennifer M. Mcclure
- Published in print:
- 2017
- Published Online:
- September 2018
- ISBN:
- 9781479875214
- eISBN:
- 9781479897629
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- NYU Press
- DOI:
- 10.18574/nyu/9781479875214.003.0011
- Subject:
- Religion, Religious Studies
Despite the importance of trend data for understanding key substantive and theoretical questions on American religion, almost no such data exist. This chapter reviews how the Google Ngram Viewer and ...
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Despite the importance of trend data for understanding key substantive and theoretical questions on American religion, almost no such data exist. This chapter reviews how the Google Ngram Viewer and the Google book collection can generate detailed measures on religious trends. After demonstrating how the trends are generated, the authors evaluate the promise and potential limitations of these measures. Do the trends charted by the Ngram Viewer match known cultural and religious trends, and is the pool of book authors and readers representative of the larger culture? The chapter concludes with a discussion on how the tool can be used most effectively for future research.Less
Despite the importance of trend data for understanding key substantive and theoretical questions on American religion, almost no such data exist. This chapter reviews how the Google Ngram Viewer and the Google book collection can generate detailed measures on religious trends. After demonstrating how the trends are generated, the authors evaluate the promise and potential limitations of these measures. Do the trends charted by the Ngram Viewer match known cultural and religious trends, and is the pool of book authors and readers representative of the larger culture? The chapter concludes with a discussion on how the tool can be used most effectively for future research.
Thomas P. Gaunt, SJ (ed.)
- Published in print:
- 2018
- Published Online:
- August 2018
- ISBN:
- 9780190878153
- eISBN:
- 9780190878184
- Item type:
- book
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/oso/9780190878153.001.0001
- Subject:
- Religion, Religion and Society
The history of religious life in the Catholic Church of the U.S. is filled with change: periods of growth and decline, changes of ministries, and differences in the ethnic and socioeconomic ...
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The history of religious life in the Catholic Church of the U.S. is filled with change: periods of growth and decline, changes of ministries, and differences in the ethnic and socioeconomic backgrounds of those who joined them. Yet as the numbers of new members diminish, some say that the future of religious life is in jeopardy. What is the state of religious life in the U.S. today? Which institutes are increasing in number and which are decreasing or ceasing to exist? From what ethnic and socioeconomic populations are they drawing their members? What new religious institutes are being founded and how successful are they? What influences a young person to consider religious life today? How are religious from other countries shaping religious life as they come to the U.S. to minister? Many of these questions are addressed by data from CARA studies of religious life conducted over the last ten years. The impact of an individual’s family dynamics and educational experience before entering religious life is examined, as well as the influence of an increasing number of Catholic volunteer programs. The emergence of lay associates and the birth of new religious institutes since Vatican Council II is investigated as new ways of living religious life. The increase in the number of sisters and priests studying and ministering in the U.S. from other countries is examined for its impact on religious life. In conclusion, recommendations are made for religious institutes and vocation directors who wish to attract new members.Less
The history of religious life in the Catholic Church of the U.S. is filled with change: periods of growth and decline, changes of ministries, and differences in the ethnic and socioeconomic backgrounds of those who joined them. Yet as the numbers of new members diminish, some say that the future of religious life is in jeopardy. What is the state of religious life in the U.S. today? Which institutes are increasing in number and which are decreasing or ceasing to exist? From what ethnic and socioeconomic populations are they drawing their members? What new religious institutes are being founded and how successful are they? What influences a young person to consider religious life today? How are religious from other countries shaping religious life as they come to the U.S. to minister? Many of these questions are addressed by data from CARA studies of religious life conducted over the last ten years. The impact of an individual’s family dynamics and educational experience before entering religious life is examined, as well as the influence of an increasing number of Catholic volunteer programs. The emergence of lay associates and the birth of new religious institutes since Vatican Council II is investigated as new ways of living religious life. The increase in the number of sisters and priests studying and ministering in the U.S. from other countries is examined for its impact on religious life. In conclusion, recommendations are made for religious institutes and vocation directors who wish to attract new members.
Guy G. Stroumsa
- Published in print:
- 2015
- Published Online:
- August 2015
- ISBN:
- 9780198738862
- eISBN:
- 9780191802065
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780198738862.003.0001
- Subject:
- Religion, Early Christian Studies, Judaism
The Introduction provides a broad overview of some of the main developments in religious trends in the Near East (in particular, in Christianity) from the first to the seventh century. The first ...
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The Introduction provides a broad overview of some of the main developments in religious trends in the Near East (in particular, in Christianity) from the first to the seventh century. The first section of the Introduction aims to show that from the perspective of the East, one must look at the whole period as a continuum, against Eurocentric historiography, which is patterned upon ecclesiastical history and sees the great divide in Constantine’s conversion and the fourth century. This approach also has the advantage of following the thread that links earliest Christianity, a Jewish heresy, to earliest Islam, a new religious movement perceived by contemporary Christians as a heresy. In the second section of the Introduction the different kinds of monotheism in late antiquity are analyzed.Less
The Introduction provides a broad overview of some of the main developments in religious trends in the Near East (in particular, in Christianity) from the first to the seventh century. The first section of the Introduction aims to show that from the perspective of the East, one must look at the whole period as a continuum, against Eurocentric historiography, which is patterned upon ecclesiastical history and sees the great divide in Constantine’s conversion and the fourth century. This approach also has the advantage of following the thread that links earliest Christianity, a Jewish heresy, to earliest Islam, a new religious movement perceived by contemporary Christians as a heresy. In the second section of the Introduction the different kinds of monotheism in late antiquity are analyzed.
