Our nation faces a decline in religion, both in the spiritual and civil sense

by Patrick France, ‘25

In 1937, 73% of Americans were members of a church or house of worship. This percentage did not fall below 70% for nearly 60 years. When measured again in 2020, 47% of adults associated themselves with a church, mosque or other place of worship, according to a Gallup poll.

Around the turn of the twenty-first century church membership drastically declined and has continued to diminish each year. A growing group exhibits no preference for religious affiliation whatsoever.

As a Christian raised in the Bible Belt, I have become accustomed to religion and basic moral principles playing an integral role in my social sphere. While I am clearly not perfect by any standard, I firmly believe that a societal decrease in affiliation with guiding, religious, moral principles are contributing to the development of a moral vacuum. The values of contemporary culture — both political and social — pour into the empty space created and corrupt it.

I first noticed the alarming reality of this thought while studying the writings of German philosopher Martin Buber (1878-1965). In his book,“I and Thou,” Buber separates interactions in the world into three categories: man to man, man to nature, and man to the divine. He notes that all self-centered interactions are either I-It or I-Thou. The former demonstrates a shallow and transactional view of another human being or the viewer’s surroundings whereas the latter allows the viewer to experience the other person or entity in a form that is complex and truly complete. 

Progressivism and secularism beckon us to partake in I-It relationships, both politically as well as socially. The emphasis on identity being propagated by contemporary culture has, in my eyes, allowed our fellow citizens to lose sight of who they really are by encouraging an over-analysis

of our imperfect human qualities and experiences. This laser focus on individualism and diversity has created a political and social sphere where many Americans feel more guilty and estranged than ever, further deepening hurt and division instead of working to rectify our differences in a constructive, civil manner. 

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While the United States is becoming less and less interested in divine religion, I suggest that it is also becoming less interested in the patriotic sort of religion that has defined us as a nation since our beginning.

Though each American has unique political views, I say that we must at minimum partake in a sort of patriotic civil religion. A strong civil religion would push each and every American to uphold our republic, not to tear it down. We ought to trust the integrity of our elections and acknowledge that domestic political extremism of all stripes severely threatens the sacred laws of our great nation.

Americans are tough. We have most assuredly been in more trying times than these and are a nation that invariably answers the call above and beyond what is needed. I am confident that we will endeavor to persevere.

I hope as the midterm elections approach that we will view our candidates in the light of patriotism and allegiance to the true ideals of this nation instead of allegiance to one subset of the Republican Party.

While shifts in political parties are inevitable as time passes, we must continue to think of how we can build trust in our nation’s institutions and not allow politicians on either side of the aisle to destroy that trust. Although President Trump achieved notable accomplishments during his term, I believe it is time for us to move on from the individual and reorient ourselves to determine the truly salient tenets of the conservative movement.

To reinforce the importance of protecting our liberty from the threats of the current era, I leave you with a quote from President Reagan:

“Freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction. We didn't pass it to our children in the bloodstream. It must be fought for, protected, and handed on for them to do the same, or one day we will spend our sunset years telling our children and our children's children what it was once like in the United States where men were free.”