countries (Zuckerman, 2005). The United States always has been a strongly religious
country—and we continue to be. The United States stands alone among wealthy, indus-
trialized countries in its embrace of religion. Nearly six in ten Americans say religion
plays a veryimportant role in their lives (Pew Global Attitudes Project, 2002).Religion in the United States
Around the time America was founded, Thomas Jefferson confidently predicted that
people would eventually think of the Bible as a book of myths, like Greek mythol-
ogy. Yet faith in the literal truth of the Bible remains strong, and the United States
remains one of the world’s most churchgoing societies. Why have rates of religious
belief and participation declined in every other industrialized country but the United
States?
One factor might be that the United States has been, since its inception, more than
simply a nation of immigrants, but actually a nation of religiousimmigrants. Since
the Pilgrims were kicked out of England, the United States has always been a haven
for those who were constrained from practicing their religion elsewhere—European
Jews, Chinese Christians, Russian Orthodox believers, and so on. As some nations
become increasingly secular, those who are religious may seek a haven in the United
States. As a result, increased religiosity and increased secularism coexist.
Another factor is that the United States has been swept by several waves of
increased religious passion. There were two Great Awakenings, one in the 1720s and
one in the 1820s, which witnessed a democratization of religion, as itinerant preach-
ers spread the news that God was less impressed with fancy churches
and ornaments than by sincere beliefs of individuals. In the early
twentieth century, the Pentecostal Revival, another significant spir-
itual “awakening,” invited poor, non-white, and otherwise disenfran-
chised people to leave traditional Methodist and Presbyterian
churches to hold meetings in storefronts and private houses. Just as
the Industrial Revolution freed individuals’ enterprise, these revivals
of religious experience had the effect of freeing individuals from the
hold of organized churches and making religion feel “American”
(Table 15.3).
Still a third factor has been the way that American religious insti-
tutions have grown as providers of social support and cultural inter-
action. In Europe, churches are often tourist attractions, but locals
rarely set foot inside. During my first trip to London, I thought it
might be a good idea to attend a service in Westminter Abbey. But
services are held in the Abbey only on Sundays; every other day they’re
held in a tiny basement chapel—with about 30 people in attendance.
Even the great cathedrals of Europe, like Notre Dame in Paris, or St.
Peter’s in Rome, or the Cathedral of Seville, have sparse attendance
at mass—and then the congregation is composed largely of tourists.
American churches, by contrast, are almost always full. Churches
are often the social and cultural center of the town. Every night there
are groups that meet there, from Alcoholics Anonymous to Bible study
to social gatherings for divorced parents. Religious institutions
not only run parochial schools, but many organize preschool and day
care facilities (these are provided by the government in European
countries). Churches sponsor soccer leagues and wilderness retreats,500 CHAPTER 15RELIGION AND SCIENCEChurch attendance in all
industrialized countries except
the United States is at or near
all-time lows. Even in Italy,
home of the Pope, Church
attendance is significantly
less than it has been in sev-
eral centuries. At this evening
mass in St. Peter’s Basilica in
Rome, many of the people are
actually tourists. n