Americans More Church-Going Than Ever for What is Holy Vible
Many Americans, particularly those who preach on television, argue that the United States has forsaken the religious commitment of its forefathers for the easy pleasures of sin, sloth, and televised professional sports.
Actually, many social scientists and historians argue that America has never been more church-going than it is right now. Our history books may be cluttered with images of pious Puritans gathering for the first Thanksgiving, the first Christmas, the first potluck social, and the like. But most Colonial Americans were more likely to be found in the local tavern Saturday night than in church on Sunday, says Rodney Stark, professor of sociology and comparative religion at the University of Washington.
In 1776, only about 17 percent of the country were church members, compared with about 65 percent today, says Stark, who has tallied church membership as a percentage of the over the past 250 years using church records …
