The Pendulum Swings

The Barna Group, a Christian polling organization, recently announced the publication of a new book by its president, David Kinnaman, entitled unChristian. This book reportedly explores negative trends in perceptions of Christianity (especially of the evangelical variety) among young Americans, which is somewhat driven by the obsessive focus of Christian conservatives on opposition to homosexuality. Such data bodes well for the possibility that atheism and humanism will continue to make inroads in this newest generation of young adults, but a closer look at the reasons for Christianity’s declining appeal can be informative for those trying to grow the freethought movement.

Among young non-Christians, nine out of the top 12 perceptions were negative. Common negative perceptions include that present-day Christianity is judgmental (87%), hypocritical (85%), old-fashioned (78%), and too involved in politics (75%) – representing large proportions of young outsiders who attach these negative labels to Christians. The most common favorable perceptions were that Christianity teaches the same basic ideas as other religions (82%), has good values and principles (76%), is friendly (71%), and is a faith they respect (55%).

So, while being judgmental and political may be viewed as negative, sharing values with other religions, “friendliness” and respectability are positive attributes of a worldview that young adults find appealing. Methinks that strident anti-theism (to use Greg Epstein‘s term) and apparent radicalism may be counterproductive.

Barna’s announcement also notes that the book’s author has determined that interaction with non-Christians can have a great deal of influence.

“But we discovered that young leaders and young Christians are more aware of and concerned about the views of outsiders, because they are more likely to interact closely with such people. Their life is more deeply affected by the negative image of Christianity. For them, what Christianity looks like from an outsider’s perspective has greater relevance, because outsiders are more likely to be schoolmates, colleagues, and friends.”

I suspect that this is due, in part, to the fact that when fellow students openly identify as nontheistic they help to humanize an otherwise abstract, and often demonized, ideology. Together, and with cliches involving honey and vinegar in mind, such data may suggest the way forward for increasing the prevalence of humanism among young adults; that is, by having friendly, moral students openly identify as nontheists or humanists, but without being aggressively opposed to those with religious beliefs.

Sara, writing at Orcinus, notes that these developments may be good both for Christians, who may shift to a more humanistic, progressive outlook, and for those preferring a more secular nation.

The long-term trend toward a less Christian nation is probably good news for liberalism in general. If there are comparatively fewer Christians, there will be more people of other faiths — though other Barna studies have found that the biggest gains of all are being made among atheist and agnostic free-thinkers, who are also the most likely to be political liberals.

Increasing numbers of politically liberal atheists and agnostics? Sounds like good news for humanism. If only we can avoid the sort of strident, dogmatic anti-religion that will drive them back to their Christian roots.

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