How religious is America?
Critical Analysis
Find answers to the following questions using the visual above, any links below, your big brain, and your knowledge of American government and politics:
Imagine the United States as a village of 100 people. According to the data from the visual above, out of 100 people, how many would be Catholic?
Imagine the United States as a village of 100 people. According to the data from the visual above, out of 100 people, how many would be Religiously unaffiliated - (a group – sometimes called the religious “nones” – made up of people who describe themselves as atheists, agnostics or “nothing in particular” when it comes to religion)?
Religious “nones” (or religiously unaffiliated Americans) are now the biggest group in America. How do you think that impacts American politics?
What most surprises you about the data above?
What question do you have about the data above?
Compare the data from the visual above of current American religious affiliation with American religious affiliation from 2014 from the visual below.* describe the change in the percent of American who are religiously unaffiliated.
A Muslim-American was just elected mayor of the nation’s biggest and most wealthy city. The wife of the Vice President is a Hindu. How does that relate to the data from the visual above?
62% of Americans are Christians. 38% are not. Is America a Christian nation?
What is one consequence (bad, good, or other) of America’s religious diversity?
If you look at American religion by age (below)*, you will see that in your group(ish) there are more non-religious people than Protestants. How will that impact overall American religiosity in the future?
Write and Discuss
Take ten minutes to write about the question at the top of the page and then discuss with your classmates.
Act on your Learning
Browse the Pew Report on Religion in American states, and plug in your own state to see how you compare to the rest of the nation.
Get Creative
Write a one page dialogue of a person who is an evangelical Christian discussing politics with a person who is religiously unaffiliated.
