Thursday 7 September 2017

One-on-One with Scholar and Researcher Mark Silk on the Future of Religion, Especially Evangelicalism, in America (Part Two)

Evangelicalism is now the normative form of non-Catholic Christianity in America.

In Part One of this interview, Mark began to answer the following question. Today, he discusses Evangelicals.

Ed: So the generational cohort replacement idea—that we will see them become more religious over time as they get older—seems to be breaking down in a lot of traditions. When we take the four big traditions—Catholic, mainline, Evangelical, historic African-American—what does the next generation (and the future) look like?

Mark: As for Evangelicals, I would say that it’s pretty good. But as with all American religious behavior these days, you put an asterisk and wonder about the younger generation which, across the board, seems to be checking out.

The large theme of our project, which I’ll take a moment to explain, is that over the past several decades, religious identity has moved from being less of an ascribed identity, one that you’re born into unless you make a very affirmative change, and more towards one of choice.

Thirty years ago, if somebody calls you up and asks, “What’s your religion?” you said, “Well, my parents sent me to a Methodist Sunday School.” You would have said you were Methodist, even though you hadn’t darkened the door of a church in 30 years.

Nowadays, you’re more likely to say, “Well, my parents sent me to a Methodist Sunday School, but I haven’t darkened the door of a church in 30 years. Put me down as None.”

What this suggests is that some of this rise of the Nones is less about changes of belief and behavior religiously than it is about a different way in which the question is understood. So, the question once was understood, “Well, I’ve got to be in some religion, so I’d better ...

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