From AP: “The U.S. religious marketplace is extremely volatile, with nearly half of American adults leaving the faith tradition of their upbringing to either switch allegiances or abandon religious affiliation altogether, a new survey finds.” Click here for the story from CNN.
Some highlights:
• “mainline Protestant churches are in decline, non-denominational churches are gaining and the ranks of the unaffiliated are growing”
• “One in four adults ages 18 to 29 claim no affiliation with a religious institution.”
• “More than one-quarter of American adults have left the faith of their childhood for another religion or no religion at all”
• 44% have switched denominations
• “The Roman Catholic Church has lost more members than any faith tradition because of affiliation swapping”
• “Hindus claimed the highest retention of childhood members, at 84 percent”
• “The group with the worst retention is one of the fastest growing — Jehovah’s Witnesses” (only 37 percent remain in the faith)
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