"The God who made the world and everything in it, being Lord of heaven and earth, does not live in temples made by man".
According to Gallup, 20% of American Christians attend church every week, 41% attend mnthly or more, and 57% attend seldom or never. Church attendance has been declining since the turn of the century, and is still lower than pre-pandemic levels.
Many traditional churches, including the Catholic Church, have seen a decline in attendance, often attributed to various scandals, perceived hypocrisy, and a disconnect between church teachings and modern values. The rise of a "woke" agenda has polarized opinions within the church, leading some to leave or seek alternatives. Pope Francis is often referred to as the "woke pope" because of his progressive views and emphasis on social justice issues. Francis has focused on issues like the environment, the poor, and LGBTQ rights. He has called on Catholics to stop persecuting LGBTQ people and met with a group of trans women.
Reports suggesting the Vatican is teetering on the brink of bankruptcy. A combination of plummeting revenues, disillusioned donors, and mismanagement under Pope Francis has left the institution struggling to meet its pension obligations, Daily Express reported. In 2023, the Vatican reported an operating deficit of $87 million, an increase of $5.3 million from the previous year. The shortfall stems largely from a dramatic decline in global donations from the Catholic faithful and the broader public.
Pope Francis has made outreach to the Arabian Peninsula a priority, having visited the United Arab Emirates in 2019 and the Kingdom of Bahrain last November. In both places, he participated in high-level interfaith meetings aimed at promoting dialogue among religions.Younger generations, dealing with inflation and tight job market making having a familily untenable, are increasingly drawn to independent or non-denominational forms of worship. This shift can be attributed to a desire for community, authenticity, and a cheaper less financial commied, more personal connection to spirituality without the constraints of institutional doctrine.
Despite declining church attendance, Bible sales have not followed the same trajectory. The rise of independent worship and personal spirituality may lead more individuals to seek out Bibles for personal study and reflection. Additionally, the accessibility of digital Bibles and online resources may contribute to increased engagement with scripture, even outside traditional church settings.
While total US sales of print books were only up by less than 1%, the Bible sold 13.7 million copies! That’s up from 9.7 million in 2019.
Societal changes, including a greater emphasis on individualism and personal belief systems, have influenced how people engage with faith. Many young people are looking for spirituality that aligns with their values, which may not always be found within established institutions.
Many youth today prioritize community and social justice, leading them to seek out groups or movements that align with their beliefs, even if those do not fit traditional church models. This shift reflects a broader desire for belonging and purpose rather than strict adherence to established religious practices, but cracks in the faith in institutions of justice are showing.
A UCLA student is suing multiple California health care providers and hospitals for medical negligence, alleging she was wrongly diagnosed with gender dysphoria and then “fast-tracked onto the conveyor belt of irreversibly damaging” puberty blockers, cross-sex hormones and surgery, according to her lawsuit.
Kaya Clementine Breen, 20, said she experienced sexual abuse as a young child, and by the time she was 11, she “began struggling with the thought of developing into a woman and began to believe that life would be easier if she were a boy,” according to her suit filed in Los Angeles County Superior Court. When she expressed this to her then-school counselor, the counselor told her “that she was transgender and called her parents to tell them the same.”
This has lead states like Tennessee to sue for childhood protections. The 6th Circuit Court of Appeals, covering OH, MI, TN and KY, reversed a lower court’s ruling and upheld Tennessee’s 2023 ban on adult cabaret entertainment in front of children. The U.S. Supreme Court is considering a case about a Tennessee law that bans gender-affirming medical treatments for transgender adolescents. The conservative majority seems poised to uphold Tennessee's ban on gender-affirming medical treatments for minors at Children's Hosptals like Vanderbilt.
Editorial comments expressed in this column are the sole opinion of the writer.
