American Faith
Deseret News:
This Deseret News: Faith in America Survey, conducted by the Marist Poll, sheds light on the state of
faith in America, and how Americans of different backgrounds do or do not incorporate religion andfaith into key aspects of their lives.
With the demographic characteristics of the American population shifting as baby boomers enter
retirement, the state of religion is reaching a tipping point. Religious service attendance has continued
to trend downward over the past decade, despite over half of Americans saying they believe in God as
described in the Bible or pray daily. Age is shown to be one of the strongest indicators of whether or not
one attends religious services. With younger age groups less likely to attend religious services than their
older counterparts, the downward trend of religious attendance is likely to continue.
As the demographic face of religion within America changes, so does the role religion plays in society.
All generations of Americans believe it is necessary to follow the Golden Rule; however, younger
generations are less likely than their older counterparts to believe that being religious is necessary in
order to live a moral life. Americans find themselves looking to family more often than religious
teachings when looking for sources of moral guidance.
The connection between faith and politics is also at an interesting crossroads. Although a majority of
Americans do not feel as though their religion plays a role in their political affiliation, one’s political
stance can be a strong indicator of the role they feel religion does and should play in society.
Republicans are more likely than Democrats to believe the future of the nation lies in God’s hands
rather than in the American people’s control, and Republicans are also more likely to see divineinspiration as having a hand in the creation of the Constitution and key Amendments.
The future of religion in America is closely tied to the changing demographic makeup of the nation. As
the population ages and becomes more politically polarized, the importance of and role that religionplays in society will continue to change and evolve.
