Americans ‘pick and choose’

The nation’s premier pollster says the spiritual quest percolating among Americans today might best be described as “religion a la carte.”

Although a Canadian sociologist, Reginald Bibby, coined the term, it has been pollster George Gallup Jr. who has most thoroughly researched its application in the United States.

At the dawn of a new century, Gallup concludes Americans “pick and choose” what they want to believe, often mixing differing ideas from within one religion or blending two or more different religions into a personal belief system.

“Substantial portions of traditional Christians, for instance, subscribe to non-Christian beliefs and practices, such as reincarnation,” he said in a telephone interview.

Gallup said this individualistic spiritual questing is most obvious in recent religious history.

“Americans are seeking something more meaningful, deeper and healthier,” Gallup said. “I think it stems in part from what they perceive to be a failure of materialism in (the 20th) century and the fact that there are so many problems that surround us without apparent solutions.”

“I think that’s why the seeking has intensified at this point in time. The surge in this desire for spiritual growth is perhaps one of the most dramatic movements of the 20th century.”

In his research, resulting from a number of statistical surveys and recounted in the new book, “Surveying the Religious Landscape” (Morehouse Publishing), Gallup reports one cannot understand America without acknowledging the influence and impact of religion.

His work uncovers a patchwork quilt of belief and practice among Americans who profess to be religious or spiritual.

Written with D. Michael Lindsay, a consultant on theology, religion and culture, the book shows:
• More than 80 percent of Americans desire to grow spiritually.
• Church and synagogue attendance has remained relatively steady during the past 50 years.
• There is a glaring lack of knowledge about the Bible, basic doctrines and the traditions of one’s own religion.
• Too often the faith professed is superficial, with people not knowing what they believe or why.
• The widespread and continuing appeal or popularity of religion.

The book also finds inconsistencies in individual belief systems with, for example, an evangelical Christian also believing in reincarnation and generally a “high” belief in God accompanied by a lack of trust in God.

Organized religion, in some respects, has failed to make a “profound difference in society” even though churches reach six out of 10 Americans in a given month, the book contends.

It also found some racial disparities.

While 65 percent of Americans overall believe religion can answer today’s problems, 86 percent of African Americans hold that belief.

“If you look at the Gallup statistics, nationwide you’ll find a disparity between believing and the belonging. But that’s not true in the African-American community. Faith holds a primacy in their lives. If you want to reach African Americans, you go through the church,” Lindsay said.

Both Lindsay and Gallup talked about the dilemma of trying to distinguish between religiosity and spirituality in polling Americans.

“A recent poll we did showed 54 percent of Americans say they are religious, 30 percent spiritual and 6 percent both,” Gallup said.

But one can only estimate the religious practice growing out of those figures.

“I have to lump the spiritual and the religious together,” he said. “I think the most dramatic way people are living out their faith is through volunteerism, either through faith communities or elsewhere. Almost every other person I this country is a volunteer, in terms of giving an average of three or four hours a week to some cause without remuneration.”

Americans remain highly individualistic, but the researchers found many of the old distinctions that set denominations apart are blurring if not dying. (RNS)