Numbers, Facts and Trends Shaping Your World
Why Americans Go (and Don’t Go) to Religious Services
Americans who do not attend religious services due to lack of belief are younger, more highly educated, largely male and Democratic
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- Why Americans Go (and Don’t Go) to Religious Services
- Top reasons U.S. adults give for choosing to attend or not attend religious services
- Americans who give reasons other than nonbelief for eschewing religious services are fairly religious
- Americans who do not attend religious services due to lack of belief are younger, more highly educated, largely male and Democratic
- Among those who rarely attend religious services, nearly four-in-ten say they don’t go because they practice their faith in other ways
- Relationship with God, moral foundation for children, self-improvement and comfort in tough times are among key reasons people go to religious services
- Six-in-ten attenders go to religious services primarily to get closer to God
- Among those who rarely attend church, Christians name a variety of reasons
- Many of those who avoid religious services for reasons other than lack of faith are at least somewhat religious
- Those who don’t attend religious services because they do not believe are more highly educated than other groups, predominantly male and Democratic
- Many non-attenders cite multiple reasons for not going to religious services
- Among churchgoers, large majorities across Christian traditions, demographic groups go to religious services to become closer to God
- Among regular attenders, most experience God’s presence, sense of community and connection to tradition while at services