Yesterday, we reported results of a Baylor University survey on how Christians choose to identify themselves as to their depth of faith. Its prompted one of Americas most conservative Christian womens group to lament that people are not so forthright in proclaiming what they are anymore –maybe even shy about their faith positions.Christian Women for America, or CWA, which identifies itself as the nations largest public policy womens organization, calls it an increasing bias against evangelicals that has caused folks to temper their self-labeling. Findings of the Baylor Religious Survey have been presented in a 76-page report, American Piety in the 21st Century: New Insights to the Depth and Complexity of Religion in the U.S.” Fewer believers say their beliefs are evangelical (33 percent). And fewer than half of that group use that label. And only just over 2 percent of evangelicals say that evangelical reflects their religious identity.
Sadly, some biblically orthodox believers are unwilling to proudly affirm their faith, said Janice Shaw Crouse, senior fellow of CWAs Beverly LaHaye Institute. They lack the self-confidence to boldly challenge the negative bias; they dont want to be called evangelical or religious right. Crouse said some believers opt for other labels — born again (28.5 percent) or theologically conservative (17.5 percent). All that combined, Crouse argues, dilutes things. The numbers dont reflect the strength of the true believers. She argues that todays pseudo-sophisticates view biblical orthodoxy with disdain and/or hostility.
It may be an indicator that the pendulum is swinging away from evangelicalism in America, that it is losing its appeal and influence.
Crouse pointed to a Washington Post article about the survey and that people who view God as engaged and punishing as the kind of Christians most likely to have lower incomes and less education, to come from the South and to be white evangelicals or black Protestants. She labeled that as just reinforcing old prejudices and continue the negative stereotypes about true believers.
The study found that 62.9 percent of Americans who are not affiliated with an particular religion has a belief in God or a higher power. Interestingly, a quarter of the people say they had read the best-seller, super-mystery The Da Vinci Code by Dan Brown. As peoples rate of church attendance declined so did the likelihood they had read it. Blacks believe overwhelmingly in an authoritarian-type God (53.4 percent). By region of the U.S., those of the West Coast tended to believe in a Distant God, while Midwesterners believed in a Benevolent God; Easterners in a Critical God; and Southerners in an Authoritarian God. The survey also found that people with lower education and lower income tend to think more of engaged images of God.
Crouse challenges scholars and those who analyze such findings to dig for the deeper revelations in the years to come to ensure they are rightly interpreted.
