Return to Religion?

While 58 percent of Americans feel that religion is "very important" in their own lives, it is hard to say to what extend religious beliefs affect their daily lives.

H owever, a study done by Gallup International in 1986 seems to show that attention to religion is increasing in the United States. Some 48 percent of those surveyed felt that the influence of religion on American life was greater than it was five years before (but, of course, 52 percent did not think it was greater). Also, about half said they were more interested in "spiritual and religious matters" than they were five years earlier. Throughout American history, there have been periods of religious revivals which have come and gone. If there is in fact a "return to religion" at present, then it is associated with the more "fun­damentalist" denominations. These church groups are usually more conservative and orthodox in their religious beliefs and practices.

Membership in the less conservative, so-called "mainline" Protestant churches in the U.S. has actually fallen in the last ten years by about 8 percent. Furthermore, church attendance by (Roman) Catholics has dropped by about a third during the same period. By contrast, membership in the fundamentalist Christian churches has gone up by 35 percent, and orthodox Jewish congregations have increased by as much as 100 percent. The increase in the fundamentalist Christian groups has attracted much public attention. One reason is that many of these groups actively publicize their beliefs and try to influence public life and political processes. Many have their own radio or television stations, which they and their members finance. Yet overall fundamentalist churches still represent a minority, even if a very active one, of all American church groups and members.

Freedom of Religious Beliefs

Since Americans are free to form and follow any religious belief or religion they wish, there are a great many beliefs, denominations, and churches in the United States. The Roman Catholic church is by far the single largest, with about 52 million members. Although there are approximately 78 million Americans who might call themselves "Protestants," they are distributed among many different, independent churches. There is no one church or church group that speaks for all Protestants or would be listened to by all. Each group, rather, supports itself. It employs its own ministers, builds its own buildings, and follows its own beliefs.

In comparison with many other western countries, the influence of religion on public and political institutions in the United States is minimal. The size of America, the tradition of religious toleration, and the separation of church and state by law, as well as the extreme variety of religious backgrounds of Americans have prevented religion from gaining much influence on politics.

D ISCUSSION ACTIVITIES

1. Compare the relationship between state and church in the U.S. and your country. Ask your classmates to tell you what they know of such relationship in other countries.

2. Discuss the relatedness between religion and politics today and its historical perspective; for instance which conflicts or even wars were caused by religious differences. Or were they?