America’s religious market

[rug]

Camp Meeting

Claude Fischer, professor of sociology | 7/9/13

America has long been the most religious of the affluent, western nations, having the most professing and practicing population. (A couple of the nearly 100% Catholic countries are close, but only Canada otherwise.) Explaining this aspect of American exceptionalism has preoccupied many scholars of religion. Part of the answer is that since the early 1800s the United States has had no established religion and has had instead a free “marketplace” of religion. Suppliers – that is, churches and ministers – emerged to meet nearly every religious “taste” people might have.

The early days of this market had all the features of an unsettled market free-for all, exacerbated by the unsettled features of American law. Today, our religious “market” is far more orderly, but we still shop around.

Hawking

The nineteenth century saw a fervor of religious inspiration, entrepreneurship, and frantic competition. In 1800, most Americans belonged to no church or denomination; many others were only nominally committed to the stuffy and stern established churches of several states.

But now, a host of young, energetic, and plain-speaking preachers evangelized all across the country for new denominations like the Methodist Episcopalians, Disciples of Christ, and dissident Baptists.

http://blogs.berkeley.edu/2013/07/09/americas-religious-market/

[dimbear]

1. It is a disturbing question. Why is the USA so successful and so religious,

bucking the world trend. And with (mostly atheist) China rising, is it sustainable?

Certainly we must look to history, but is it just that we weren't greatly damaged in the world wars?

TBD.

[rug]

2. I think Fischer put his finger on it.

The greatest difference between 1800 America and 1800 Europe is that the former explicitly forbade a state religion. That is what allowed the Great Awakening and burgeoning religious movements, including indigenous ones such as the Mormons, the Millerites and the Bible Students (later called Jehovah's Witnesses).

The structure of the state got out of the way.

I suspect it's the same reason explicitly atheist states and totalitarian states (there is a difference) do not see religious movements.

The jury is still out on modern Europe.

[dimbear]

3. The situation in Canada, especially wrt the Quebec Act,

wouldn't entirely support that, but there's meat to what you say. A complex issue.

[el_bryanto]

4. How did China get so atheist again? nt

[dimbear]

5. That's a long story, it's pretty well discussed in the Wikipedia article on religion in China,

in two words it would run reaction against missionaries and the actions of Chairman Mao.