Religion In American Life

Religion In American Life

Religion In American Life

Dave Ross
SOCI 250/2
2/18/97
Computer Assignment #1

Religion used to be a very important component in an American's life.
Protestantism was as American as Mom and apple pie. Families would don their
"Sunday best" and go to church early on Sunday mornings. However, this
situation has changed quite a bit. After reviewing the 1994 statistics I
gathered from the Micase system and comparing them to the statistics received in
class, I discovered a trend away from traditional religious beliefs and
practices, and one toward atheism or alternative religious beliefs. After a
resurgence in the 1970's and early 1980's, the Roman Catholic church began
experiencing a slow, yet steady, decline in membership. As membership in the
more orthodox Roman Catholic church decreased, membership in Protestant churches
increased. In recent years, the Catholic Church has become politically active
and more vociferous concerning its views on moral issues such as war, abortion,
and euthanasia. It is my feeling that many Catholics are searching for sects
that will allow them to retain their faith in Christ without a central body
(i.e., the Vatican) speaking on behalf of them on issues that they are capable
of rationalizing for themselves. Among Catholics and Protestants, there is a
trend toward less rigid attendance of religious services. If we examine the
figures from Stark and Glock's 1968 survey, 54% of Americans surveyed at the
time attend...

Religion In American Life

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