New Pew Report Shows ‘Decline of Christianity’ Leveling Off – But Church Remains Strong
A new Pew Research Center study indicates that the apparent “decline of Christianity” in the United States “shows signs of leveling off – at least temporarily.” Their massive report shows “evidence both of a long-term decline in American religion and of relative stability in the last few years, since 2020 or so.”
Their data simply examines how many Americans personally identify as “Christian” or with some other faith category.
From 2007 to 2019, the number of people who say they identify as “Christian” decreased from 78% to 63%. It has fluctuated between 64% and 62% since then. Pew explains that “for the last five years, between 2019 and 2024, the Christian share of the adult population has been relatively stable, hovering between 60% and 64%.”
They add,
Americans who identify with a religion other than Christianity remains very low, but is inching up slightly, possibly due to immigration and a diversifying population rather than actual changes in beliefs of American citizens.
Nones – those identifying with no particular faith – plateaued in recent years according to Pew’s data.
Now, mere identity with a particular faith is not a very robust measure of the actual health of that faith. People choose to identify or dis-identify with a name for various reasons beyond strongly held faith convictions and practices. Still, this new Pew data does indicate “rates of prayer, attendance at religious services also [are] relatively stable.” Younger generations have shown less faith adherence.
According to Pew, “the youngest adults in the survey (ages 18 to 24) are less likely than today’s oldest adults (ages 74 and older) to:
- Identify as Christian (46% versus 80%)
- Pray daily (27% versus 58%)
- Say they attend religious services at least monthly (25% versus 49%).”
“Since 2020, however, our surveys indicate that the religiousness of most birth cohorts has remained relatively stable.”
One thing we must all remember is that the same Holy Spirit – the Spirit of Truth – whom Jesus promised would guide every generation into Truth is just as much at work today as He was at Pentecost, or any age since. He has not grown old, tired, weak or out of touch. As I explain in the final chapter of my book, The Myth of the Dying Church, “the Holy Spirit is not asleep at the wheel.” He continues to barrel through human history like a freight train, drawing people to the truth and regeneration of Jesus Christ.
We read as much in the conclusion of Scripture itself,
The Christian Church throughout history and the world is right on track. Just as the cells of every living person multiply every minute of every day, so do the cells that make up the body of Christ. It can’t be otherwise because the life of the Holy Spirit is life-giving.
Do not let incomplete, momentary news reports from polling organizations threaten this hope.
Related Articles and Resources
The Church’s Lane is the Whole Cosmos
The Cultural Paradox of Following Jesus Christ
Why Believe in Christianity? Because it is True.
How Big is Your View of the Gospel?
Dear Christian, Have Hope in Jesus Christ Amid Our Cultural Chaos
Appreciating the Full Scope of the Lordship of Christ – and the Gospel Itself
Christianity is Both a Religion and a Relationship
Is Another Trump Era a Threat to the Gospel?
