01: The growth of the non-affiliated (or “nones”) continues unabated among incoming American college students, and it may be diminishing the importance of spirituality among such young adults, according to the American Freshman, an annual study  conducted by UCLA’s Higher Education Research Institute. The study, which has consistently asked incoming students their religious affiliation, surveyed 153,015 students […]

01: The conflict between religion and science in the U.S. is often portrayed as being between conservative believers and secular Americans but a recent study finds that a “post-secular” camp who tend to view both science and religion favorably. The study, conducted by Timothy L. O’Brien and Shiri Noy and published in the American Sociological […]

01: The politicization of churches in the last two decades has been viewed as weakening congregational growth and aiding subsequent secularization in American society, but a new study suggests that political involvement by churches can have the opposite effect. Andre Audette and Christopher L. Weaver of the University of Notre Dame presented a paper at the […]

01: People tend to think differently about spirituality and God according to what time of the day it is and the activities they are engaged in, according to a study by sociologist Bradley Wright of the University of Connecticut. Wright, who presented a paper at the recent meeting of the Society for the Scientific Study of […]

01: A new study by the Center for Applied Research in the Apostolate confirms the dramatic decline in the number of nuns, including those orders that are traditional, over the past 30 years. The study, drawing on data from the Official Catholic Directory, finds a 72.5 percent decline from a peak total in 1965. While some […]

01: Although the Emerging Movement has been known for its promotion of diversity and inclusiveness, clergy identifying as Emerging tend to be liberal in their politics, according to a study by Ryan Burge and Paul Djupe. The writers and leaders associated with the EM, known for its postmodern approach stressing community and non-dogmatism, have often differentiated […]

01:  A recent survey finds that 36 percent of  Americans report experiencing or witnessing some form of religious discrimination at work, with nearly half of non-Christian workers (49 percent) reporting so. Tanenbaum’s 2013 Survey of American Workers and Religion finds that almost the same percentage of white evangelicals (48 percent) report experiencing or witnessing religious non-accommodation […]

01: In a paper delivered at the CESNUR (Center for Studies on New Religions) conference at Baylor University (Waco, Texas) in early June, J. Gordon Melton analyzed atheist groups as organizations similar to new religious movements (without a supernatural component) and the new public presence of atheism on the American scene. Actually, the percentage of […]

01: Disclosing one’s faith in applying for jobs may be detrimental for job hunting in the U.S., particularly if you are a Muslim, according to a study by University of Connecticut researcher Bradley Wright. In Christianity Today magazine (June), Wright reports on a study he conducted with Michael Wallace where they created four different kinds […]

01: Public displays of religious devotion by American athletes are nothing new, but such actions can prove divisive to fans if they are too closely associated with a particular faith, according to researchers writing in the American Sociological Association’s magazine Contexts (Spring). The two most recent examples of public piety by American athletes have been […]