Gallup Poll says U.S. religiosity is on the rise

WASHINGTON — Religiosity among Americans is on the rise after hitting an all-time low last year, according to the annual Gallup Poll of leading religious indicators.

The index compiles American survey answers about religious habits and preferences into a comprehensive score, with a maximum of 1,000 points. The score of 648 for 2003 is a seven-point jump over 641 in 2002 — the lowest religious index in the poll’s 60-year history.

The poll’s highest score came in 1956 with a religious index of 746.

The index — drawn from a variety of Gallup Polls throughout the year — surveys Americans on seven measurements of religious practice, including church attendance, confidence in organized religion and the ethical standards of clergy.

Pollsters attribute 2002’s record low to the continuing sexual abuse scandal in the Catholic Church, which emerged in early 2002. The impact of the scandal may have been short term, since last year’s 30-point drop from the 2001 religious index was not repeated in 2003.

Feelings about the ethical standards of clergy have not recovered, however, joining organized religion in a trend of decreasing confidence among Americans. Ratings for clergy are up somewhat from a 52 percent rating in 2002 to 56 percent last year, but the rating has dropped from 64 percent in 2001.

Though exactly half of all Americans expressed confidence in organized religion, that figure is still down 10 percentage points from 2001 — despite an increase over last year’s dismal rating of 45 percent.

The proportion of Americans who said they belong to a church maintained last year’s rate of 65 percent, though the survey shows a steady climb since 2001 in the number of Americans who give religion a “very important” place in their lives.