Religion in America is more highly researched than ever before. The premier researcher of religion in America, the Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life, pours out a continuous stream of information about what is happening to religion in America. They are complimented by other researchers such as the Barna Group, an Evangelical organization, that I personally monitor with care. George Barna, founder of the Barna Group, coined the term 'theolographics' to describe what they do. The researchers have become very good at what they do. They quantify what is taking place in American religious life. Their work is thorough, sophisticated and scientific. I have found no way to argue with the story that researchers are telling.
The researchers agree. Today, when people are asked about their religious preference, the fastest growing answer in "none." Over half of Americans who were very connected to religious institutions in their 20s have become "nones" in their 30s. The exit from traditional church life has become a stampede. Sunday School is a collapsing enterprise. The parents of potential Sunday School children are leaving. They are becoming "nones."
Does this mean that Americans are becoming agnostic or atheistic? Not at all. It does mean that Americans are doing a different kind of religious thinking. They feel free to leave the security of Creeds and Confessions of Faith that have defined religious life over the centuries. They feel free to be their own theologians.
Recently I was involved in a discussion about what it means to be a theologian. In the past being a theologian was a profession. Theologians were highly educated and taught in colleges, universities and seminaries. In some situations, the pastor of a congregation would be described as a "good theologian." Theologians were held in awe by the religious faithful. In the religious life that is emerging in America, the definition of a theologian is dramatically changing. The consensus opinion that emerged out of my recent discussion is that a theologian is anyone who thinks about serious matters.
The growth of home churches is a product of this remaking of American religion. Studying home churches has been difficult for the researchers. The researchers and other observers are aware of home churches, but no one really knows how many of these small religious groups actually exist. According to the Barna Group, at least 5 percent of American Christian worshipers are gathering in home churches. The number could be as high as 10 percent. Exact figures about how many home churches exist is impossible to obtain. Home churches belong to no religious hierarchy and keep no records. They do not incorporate as legal entities and do not bother with 501(c)3 federal tax exemption. However, researchers know in general that what is happening in those groups follows a pattern.
In the typical home church there is a time for singing, praying, reading of the Bible and some sort of a sermon or homily. However, while important, worship is not what defines the movement. The key mark is discussion. The discussions are not bound by the creeds of church tradition. The discussions are not bound by the contents of the Bible. Science, sociology, politics, sexuality and psychology are welcomed into the sharing. What is happening can aptly be described as a gathering of theologians. The home church is made up of people who are eager to think collectively about serious matters.
I ponder the future of religion in America. The one firm conclusion that I have reached is that the future is NOT with mainline Protestantism or with the faith of the Roman Catholic hierarchy. At a time of overall population growth in America, Baptists, Methodists, Presbyterians, Episcopalians and Lutherans are shrinking in numbers. Roman Catholic churches are suffering numerical loses similar to the Protestants, but are bolstered by immigrants from Central America. These traditional American religious stalwarts are struggling for survival and leadership has slipped from their hands.
I believe there are four critical issues that need to be discussed by serious religious people. The first is the meaning of marriage and family. The second is the meaning of vocation. The third is the meaning and significance of money and wealth. The fourth is the achievement of community. The Christian tradition represented by mainline Protestants and Roman Catholics has been obsessed with individuals gaining citizenship in a future heaven. In the process, religious people have lost their place in the public square of America. American public life is being defined without the input of religious people.
I strongly suspect that religion's best future in America lies with the "nones." They are becoming the theologians of tomorrow. It is among the "nones" that serious matters are being discussed.
Among our traditional churches, there are many voices of despair. I do not share that perspective. The emergence of the "nones" is welcome. They are our hope for the future.
The Rev. Howard Bess is a retired American Baptist minister, who lives in Palmer, Alaska. His email address is hdbss(at)mtaonline.net
The views expressed here are the writer's own and are not necessarily endorsed by Alaska Dispatch. Alaska Dispatch welcomes a broad range of viewpoints. To submit a piece for consideration, e-mail commentary(at)alaskadispatch.com.