The End of Protestant America

[All Along The Watchtower]

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more: http://nationalinterest.org/blog/the-buzz/the-end-protestant-america-7589

The overall theme I get from this is that, whether one is part of an evangelical non-denominational mega-church or a New Agey "spiritual but not religious" group, the traditional, liturgical, and institutional churches are being superseded by groups and churches that increasingly cater to mobile, rootless individuals, who wish to find God (or whatever they believe in) in a very...direct way, without most or all of the old rituals, theological and philosophical traditions, and commitment to a congregation or denomination.

An increasing number of Americans, moreover, believe that they don't need a religious congregation or affiliation at all in order to fully know "God"-if they even believe in God to begin with, of course.

[memphis]

The local paper asked several prominent clergy around town about their reaction to this. The pastor of a large evangelical church insisted it was because evangelicals don't self-identify as belonging to a "religion." I remember jmfcst making a similar point about himself. I'm not super familiar with evangelicals, but this explanation doesn't make a lot of sense to me.

[All Along The Watchtower]

The local paper asked several prominent clergy around town about their reaction to this. The pastor of a large evangelical church insisted it was because evangelicals don't self-identify as belonging to a "religion." I remember jmfcst making a similar point about himself. I'm not super familiar with evangelicals, but this explanation doesn't make a lot of sense to me.

Hmm..aren't some evangelical church-goers (moreso than mainline ones) not actually members of any church?

[memphis]

The local paper asked several prominent clergy around town about their reaction to this. The pastor of a large evangelical church insisted it was because evangelicals don't self-identify as belonging to a "religion." I remember jmfcst making a similar point about himself. I'm not super familiar with evangelicals, but this explanation doesn't make a lot of sense to me.

Hmm..aren't some evangelical church-goers (moreso than mainline ones) not actually members of any church?

By church, do you mean denomination or a singular congregation? Churches around here are always in salesman mode. They want everybody to attend, which is another difference between them and the synagogues.  Churches merely ask members to tithe. Synagogues have set dues, which one must pay to belong. You won't see billboards encouraging the public to try a specific synagogue. Or for that matter Catholic churches. I believe Catholics are assigned to churches by the hierarchy.

[DC Al Fine]

The local paper asked several prominent clergy around town about their reaction to this. The pastor of a large evangelical church insisted it was because evangelicals don't self-identify as belonging to a "religion." I remember jmfcst making a similar point about himself. I'm not super familiar with evangelicals, but this explanation doesn't make a lot of sense to me.

Hmm..aren't some evangelical church-goers (moreso than mainline ones) not actually members of any church?

Yes and no. Lots of evangelicals don't affiliate with a denomination, but they don't tick the "no religion" box on surveys. They tick "Non-denominational Christian" or the generic "Christian". If you count those people as Protestants, the decline doesn't seem as big, but there is still a substantial decline.

Another thing to keep in mind is that 30 years ago, someone who hadn't been to church in a decade would still identify as Catholic/Baptist/Whatver. Now their equivalents in Gen X and the Millenials say they have no religion.

[Okay, maybe Mike Johnson is a competent parliamentarian.]

Another thing to keep in mind is that 30 years ago, someone who hadn't been to church in a decade would still identify as Catholic/Baptist/Whatver. Now their equivalents in Gen X and the Millenials say they have no religion.

This is an important point, and if I expressed my opinion of what this indicates BRTD would probably get cross with me.

[I spent the winter writing songs about getting better]

Another thing to keep in mind is that 30 years ago, someone who hadn't been to church in a decade would still identify as Catholic/Baptist/Whatver. Now their equivalents in Gen X and the Millenials say they have no religion.

This is an important point, and if I expressed my opinion of what this indicates BRTD would probably get cross with me.

Actually I'd consider that a positive development.

[Joe Biden 2020]

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more: http://nationalinterest.org/blog/the-buzz/the-end-protestant-america-7589

The overall theme I get from this is that, whether one is part of an evangelical non-denominational mega-church or a New Agey "spiritual but not religious" group, the traditional, liturgical, and institutional churches are being superseded by groups and churches that increasingly cater to mobile, rootless individuals, who wish to find God (or whatever they believe in) in a very...direct way, without most or all of the old rituals, theological and philosophical traditions, and commitment to a congregation or denomination.

An increasing number of Americans, moreover, believe that they don't need a religious congregation or affiliation at all in order to fully know "God"-if they even believe in God to begin with, of course.

Many evangelicals don't identify as religious, because at its core, Christianity is NOT a religion, it is a relationship between Jesus Christ and His followers.  Religion is man's attempt to reach God.  Christianity is God reaching down and coming down to man's level to take Him back up.

[RI]

You must be logged in to read this quote.

more: http://nationalinterest.org/blog/the-buzz/the-end-protestant-america-7589

The overall theme I get from this is that, whether one is part of an evangelical non-denominational mega-church or a New Agey "spiritual but not religious" group, the traditional, liturgical, and institutional churches are being superseded by groups and churches that increasingly cater to mobile, rootless individuals, who wish to find God (or whatever they believe in) in a very...direct way, without most or all of the old rituals, theological and philosophical traditions, and commitment to a congregation or denomination.

An increasing number of Americans, moreover, believe that they don't need a religious congregation or affiliation at all in order to fully know "God"-if they even believe in God to begin with, of course.

Many evangelicals don't identify as religious, because at its core, Christianity is NOT a religion, it is a relationship between Jesus Christ and His followers.  Religion is man's attempt to reach God.  Christianity is God reaching down and coming down to man's level to take Him back up.

That's incredibly pedantic though. I mean, really.

Also, the US will be a Protestant nation until something overtakes it. Pluralities still mean something, especially when the plurality is so wide as it is in this case.

[I spent the winter writing songs about getting better]

FWIW, my church's current sermon series' topic is pretty much "religion is bad" and the title is "Exchanging the Bad News of the Church for the Good News of Jesus"

[All Along The Watchtower]

FWIW, my church's current sermon series' topic is pretty much "religion is bad" and the title is "Exchanging the Bad News of the Church for the Good News of Jesus"

.....

[© tweed]

Another thing to keep in mind is that 30 years ago, someone who hadn't been to church in a decade would still identify as Catholic/Baptist/Whatver. Now their equivalents in Gen X and the Millenials say they have no religion.

This is an important point, and if I expressed my opinion of what this indicates BRTD would probably get cross with me.

then for the love of God, don't express the opinion.

[Okay, maybe Mike Johnson is a competent parliamentarian.]

Another thing to keep in mind is that 30 years ago, someone who hadn't been to church in a decade would still identify as Catholic/Baptist/Whatver. Now their equivalents in Gen X and the Millenials say they have no religion.

This is an important point, and if I expressed my opinion of what this indicates BRTD would probably get cross with me.

Actually I'd consider that a positive development.

And I wouldn't.

[I spent the winter writing songs about getting better]

My annoyance with Zell Miller and other ultra-conservative Blue Dogs has given me the attitude that one should never associate with something for purely cosmetic and superficial reasons.

[Okay, maybe Mike Johnson is a competent parliamentarian.]

My annoyance with Zell Miller and other ultra-conservative Blue Dogs has given me the attitude that one should never associate with something for purely cosmetic and superficial reasons.

...I'm...not sure how that's relevant?

[All Along The Watchtower]

My annoyance with Zell Miller and other ultra-conservative Blue Dogs has given me the attitude that one should never associate with something for purely cosmetic and superficial reasons.

And you never do this, of course.

[I spent the winter writing songs about getting better]

My annoyance with Zell Miller and other ultra-conservative Blue Dogs has given me the attitude that one should never associate with something for purely cosmetic and superficial reasons.

...I'm...not sure how that's relevant?

Zell Miller and the others like him until they all died off/finally joined the Republicans were people in the Democratic Party that had absolutely nothing in common with the Party ideologically. The only reason they were in the Party was that supposedly their parents had been and the area had always been in this tradition. It makes no sense. Same with most Vermont Republicanism, though that died out a bit earlier.

The same thing would apply to people who identify as "Catholic" yet may not even believe in God for instance.

My annoyance with Zell Miller and other ultra-conservative Blue Dogs has given me the attitude that one should never associate with something for purely cosmetic and superficial reasons.

And you never do this, of course.

Not in the sense that I'm referring to.

[Okay, maybe Mike Johnson is a competent parliamentarian.]

I would submit that religious and political identification are qualitatively distinct.

[I spent the winter writing songs about getting better]

Nathan what do you think about disillusioned former Catholics joining the Episcopal Church?

[Okay, maybe Mike Johnson is a competent parliamentarian.]

Nathan what do you think about disillusioned former Catholics joining the Episcopal Church?

It depends on the disillusioned former Catholic. Most of the ones I've met are nice. It's not conversion that I have a problem with; it's this sort of building spiritual malady of apostasy or conversion into the cultus of nothing-in-particular. And I think it's a powerful and longstanding error on the part of most churches not to have spent the last couple of godawful centuries working on retention on the cultural level or attraction on the doctrinal level or both, with regards to this particular phenomenon. Hell, I'd sooner see folks become secular humanists or some other such ridiculous 'ethical lifestance' than just end up 浮き船.