Christianity No Longer Shrinking in the U.S.

While previous studies of U.S. religion have shown steady declines in Christianity, the latest findings indicate the decline has likely stopped.

By Aaron Earls

After decades of decline, U.S. Christianity has leveled off. Additionally, the religiously unaffiliated has reached a plateau, according to Pew Research.

In the new Religious Landscape Study (RLS) from Pew Research, the largest study of religious identification and practice in America, Christianity demonstrated stability, remaining slightly above 60% in recent years. Currently, 62% of Americans say they are Christian.

After decades of decline, Christianity has found stability, hovering between 60% and 64% of the U.S. population since 2019, according to Pew Research. Share on X

Most studies of U.S. religion had previously shown steady declines in Christianity that began in the late 90s and accelerated in the 2000s. The latest findings from those studies, including Pew Research, find the decline has at least slowed if not stopped completely. Since 2019, Christianity has hovered between 60% and 64%.

That recent steadiness comes after years of decline evident in the previous two Religious Landscape Studies. The 2007 RLS found more than 3 in 4 Americans (78%) identified as Christian. That fell to 71% in 2014 before hitting 62% now.

U.S. religious demographics

As Christianity’s slide has stopped, the growth of the religiously unaffiliated has also paused. Currently, the nones have hit a ceiling after years of regular growth. When asked their religious identity, around 3 in 10 Americans (29%) say they are atheists, agnostics, or “nothing in particular.”

The RLS confirms other studies that had indicated the rise of the nones is over. This new religious context could change how churches relate to those around them.

Protestants now account for 40% of the U.S. population, while 19% of Americans are Catholics. In 2007, 51% of the country was Protestant and 24% was Catholic. The drop in Protestants stopped around 2019, while Catholics have been stable since 2014.

But there are significant differences within Protestantism. Evangelical Protestants have only dropped three percentage points since 2007, from 26% of the U.S. population to 23% in the most recent RLS. Similarly, the percentage of historically Black Protestants fell from 7% to 5%.

Meanwhile, mainline Protestants dropped from 18% to 11%. This means most of the drop in Protestantism and almost half of the overall decline of Christianity stems from shrinking mainline Protestants.

Most of the drop in Protestantism and almost half of the overall decline of Christianity since 2007 stems from mainline Protestantism shrinking. Share on X

Non-Christian religions continue to account for small percentages of the nation’s population, but their numbers are increasing. All other religions grew from 4.7% in 2007 to 7.1% today.  The Jewish population has remained slightly less than 2% since 2007, but Muslims (0.4% to 1.2%), Buddhists (0.7% to 1.1%), Hindus (0.4% to 0.9%), and other religions (1.4% to 2.2%) have grown in the past two decades.

A spiritual nation

Statistics show atheism is on the decline globally. Even in the U.S., few Americans could be considered strict secular materialists. Significant majorities hold to a spiritual or supernatural perspective.

More than 4 in 5 believe people have a soul or spirit in addition to a physical body (86%) and believe in a God or universal spirit (83%). Almost as many say there is something beyond the natural world (79%). Seven in 10 (70%) believe in an afterlife (heaven, hell, or both). In total, 92% of Americans believe one or more of those concepts.

92% of Americans accept one or more of four key spiritual or supernatural beliefs, according to Pew Research. Share on X

Additionally, 59% of Americans feel a deep sense of wonder about the universe at least monthly. Most (56%) feel a deep sense of spiritual peace and well-being at least monthly. More than 2 in 5 (44%) say they feel the presence of something beyond this world at least monthly.

Americans are more likely to say they have grown more spiritual than less spiritual by an almost 4-to-1 margin (43% v. 11%), with 46% claiming no clear change in their spirituality.

A 2020 Lifeway Research study found more than 4 in 5 U.S. adults (85%) believe there is more to life than the physical world and society. Few disagree (9%) or are not sure (6%).

Much of this will be welcome news to church leaders. However, other aspects of the Religious Landscape Study serve as potential warning signs for the future. If you’re not already subscribed, sign up for Lifeway Research’s Insights newsletter to stay up-to-date as we explore this study more in the coming weeks.

For permission to republish this article, contact Marissa Postell Sullivan.