A Debate: Exodus from the Church?

Posted on May 30, 2011 by Stan Guthrie

Yes

By Drew Dyck

When the American Religious Identification Survey (ARIS) released its findings in 2009, the media took notice. USA Today reported that “Most religious groups in USA have lost ground.” Other publications were more sensationalistic. Newsweek ran a story with a headline announcing “The End of Christian America.”

NO

By Byron Johnson

It is very popular these days to claim that religion—especially among the young—is not only in decline, but that people are leaving the faith in droves. This is, of course, a story many in the media are happy to help disseminate as if it were true. Sadly, joining the media in making such claims are a number Christians, armed with bad data or a lack of understanding when it comes to interpreting data, or both.

WRAP

By John Wilson

Are we in fact witnessing a historic exodus from the church, especially among young people? How might that question be answered? What’s the evidence, one way or the other, and how do we evaluate it?

About Stan Guthrie

Stan Guthrie is an editor at large for Christianity Today magazine and for the Chuck Colson Center for Christian Worldview. His latest book is God's Story in 66 Verses. He also is author of All that Jesus Asks: How His Questions Can Teach and Transform Us, Missions in the Third Millennium: 21 Key Trends for the 21st Century, and A Concise Guide to Bible Prophecy. He is co-author of The Sacrament of Evangelism. Besides authoring, writing, and editing books, Stan is a literary agent, bringing together good authors, good books, and good publishers. Stan writes the monthly Priorities colum for BreakPoint.org. He has appeared on National Public Radio's Tell Me More, WGN's Milt Rosenberg program, and many Christian shows, including The Eric Metaxas Show and Moody Radio's New Day Florida. A licensed minister and an inspirational speaker, he served as moderator for the Christian Book Expo panel discussion, Does the God of Christianity Exist, and What Difference Does It Make?

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