ITEMS OF INTEREST May 21, 2007 Issue

ITEMS OF INTEREST

with contributions from Frank Newport, Stephen Brown, Michelle Cazzulino

RESEARCHERS HAVE SPENT a good deal of time over the years investigating American churchgoing behavior, developing theories that range from the sociological benefit of religious ritual in promoting group solidarity to the practical benefits derived from participation in community social gatherings. And, of course, there are those who argue that the reason for church attendance is quite simple: It is the rational response of humans who feel the need to worship a real and powerful God. ...

To come at the fascinating issue of church attendance in a slightly different way, a recent Gallup Panel survey asked Americans about their usual church-attending behavior, and followed up with an open-ended question asking them to explain their attendance or lack thereof in their own words. ...

Most of the explanations churchgoers give for church attendance are straightforward and in line with what might be expected. Some Americans indicate attending church for explicitly religious reasons ("to worship God," "it's my faith," "believe in God"), while others have a somewhat more general, spiritual rationale ("for spiritual growth," "keeps me grounded and inspired").

Send a comment to the editors

NEXT IN THIS ISSUE

Article

GOD IS HOLDING ON TO YOU