For the first time since 1937, the number of Americans who identified themselves as a member of a church, synagogue or mosque has dropped 73 percent to 50 percent according to a poll from Gallup. The trending attitude of today is that while many Christians attend church, they do not consider membership a necessity. Polling also showed that the number of people stating religion being very important to them has decreased to 48 percent. In the past years, research has shown recent generations straying from affiliations to a named institution to rather disaffiliation, a reaction conjectured to the shifting changes in politics, business and the unexpected development of COVID 19.
Although the pandemic has affected gatherings on a mass scale, polls did not find the COVID 19 was a disruption in American’s willingness to attend online services or fellowship. Rather, the fall in membership has been suggested to relate more closely to trends circulating religious culture.
Firstly, a broader distrust of religious leaders such as the Roman Catholic Church’s sexual abuse scandal and the unrelenting White evangelical alignment with former president Donald Trump.
Additionally, there is the suggestion that due to a growth in internet culture people are now beginning to mix and match traditions, scriptures and ideologies of various belief systems to tailor their own faith-based experience. In such instances, the notion of “church-hunting” or becoming a dedicated member of an institution becomes less likely. The question therefore remains on what wave the shift will take in the future as COVID 19, cultural and political changes continue.