Social analysts say that people turn to religion in times of crisis. That was certainly the case in America after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks. A surge in church attendance and Bible sales was recorded immediately after that tragic day. But has that had any lingering effect on people’s religious beliefs and practices?
The Barna Research Group examined that question. Using 21 indicators of the nation’s spiritual climate, the study gives a comprehensive look at how people’s faith has changed in the aftermath of the terrorist attacks.
While levels of adult attendance reported in November 2001 are higher than before the attack, they are not statistically different from the numbers recorded in November 2000, thus reflecting a typical seasonal increase. It appears that attendance, which nationwide increased by perhaps 25 percent immediately after the attack, is back at normal levels. The November survey found 48 percent of adults attending on a typical weekend.
According to the Barna survey, the types of adults who seemed more inclined to be attending church services two months after the attacks were women (up eight percentage points since August), people 55 or older (up 10 points), Catholics (also up 10 points) and atheists, whose church participation tripled from just 3 percent in August to 10 percent in November.
While some religious leaders posited that the attacks had caused many to turn their lives over to Jesus Christ, the survey found that the pre- and post-attack statistics of those who have made a “personal commitment to Jesus Christ that is still important in your life today” were identical: 68 percent.
Other measures of religious behavior were at identical levels to those noted in August. Bible reading remained at 39 percent of adults reading the Bible, other than at church, during a typical week. Church volunteerism, after an initial outpouring of involvement, is back at pre-attack levels (23 percent invest some time in church-related service during a typical week). Prayer, also alleged to have escalated, is currently at its normal level, with 85 percent praying to God in a given week.
Adult Sunday School attendance moved up slightly (22 percent) but not enough to be considered a statistically significant change. Participation in a small group other than a Sunday School class that meets during the week for Bible study, prayer or Christian fellowship remained static as did having a private devotional time during the week.
People’s religious identification did not change by any statistically significant amount after the attacks. In August, 86 percent of all adults said they thought of themselves as Christian. The post-attack study found 84 percent embracing that label — a change well within the study’s margin of error.
The survey also showed that the proportion of Americans who think of themselves as Muslim or Islamic remained stable, as well, at less than 1 percent of the aggregate adult population.
Adults were also asked to rate their level of commitment to the Christian faith. Using a four-point scale, in the late summer survey 42 percent of adults said they were “absolutely committed” to Christianity. That number remained virtually unchanged (44 percent) eight weeks after the attacks.
Responding to the disappointment of Christian leaders who have been exposed to these findings, George Barna, who directed the study, explained that, “after the attack, millions of nominally churched or generally irreligious Americans were desperately seeking something that would restore stability and a sense of meaning to life. Fortunately, many of them turned to the church.
“Unfortunately, few of them experienced anything that was sufficiently life-changing to capture their attention and their allegiance,” Barna said.
“They tended to appreciate the moments of comfort they received, but were unaware of anything sufficiently beneficial to redesign their lifestyle to integrate a deeper level of spiritual involvement,” he said.
“Our assessment is that churches succeeded at putting on a friendly face but failed at motivating the vast majority of spiritual explorers to connect with Christ in a more intimate or intense manner,” Barna said.
In the 10 days following the terrorist attacks, Gallup found national attendance at worship services rose to 47 percent of the population. But by earlier this month, it had fallen back to its usual 42 percent.
(RNS)
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