AMERICANS CONTINUE TO PRAY-AND THAT’S A PROBLEM

By: American Decency Staff

The Story: According to the 2014 General Social Survey, a record-low share of Americans attend church regularly, affiliate with a religious faith, and see themselves as religious. But more than half still say they pray at least once a day.

The Background: This national survey, which has been conducted every two years since 1972, is the broadest study of religious attitudes in the United States, note Michelle Boorstein and Peyton M. Craighill. According to theirarticle in Washington Post:

The stability of prayer contrasts sharply with erosion on other measures of religious commitment. Since 2006, the percentage of people describing themselves as “very” or “moderately” religious has declined eight percentage points, from 62 percent to 54 percent. The share affiliating with a particular faith has fallen from over 90 percent in the 1980s and 1990s to 79 percent in 2014. Just over 4 in 10 report attending worship services at least once a month, down roughly 10 points from three decades ago. All are record lows.

The resilience of prayer reflects a broader shift in Americans’ understanding of religion, according to Christian Smith, a professor of sociology who leads the University of Notre Dame’s Center for the Study of Religion and Society.

“Religion is gradually becoming more personal, private, subjective in practice,” and “less public, institutional and shared,” Smith said. “People still believe religious things and practice religion ‘in their heads,’ as in prayer, but are less institutionally connected and engage in fewer public, institution-centered observations.”

Why It Matters: In looking for a silver-lining to this finding we might be tempted to say, “Well, at least they’re praying.” But while they may be sending their requests to God, are they truly praying?

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