By Lisa Cannon Green NASHVILLE, Tenn. – America is launching new Protestant churches faster than it loses old ones, attracting many people who previously didn’t attend anywhere, new Lifeway Research studies show. More than 4,000 new churches opened their doors in 2014, outpacing the 3,700 that closed, according to estimates from the Nashville-based research organization … [Read more...]
A third of Americans avoid Halloween or its pagan elements
By Carol Pipes NASHVILLE, Tenn. – When it comes to Halloween, most Americans don’t have a problem celebrating the spooky holiday. Yet, one-third say they avoid Halloween or its pagan elements. Although 3 in 5 Americans told Lifeway Research Halloween is “all in good fun,” 21 percent avoid the holiday completely and another 14 percent avoid the pagan elements. Halloween … [Read more...]
New study: Pastors grow more polarized on Islam
By Lisa Cannon Green NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Protestant pastors are increasingly polarized about Islam, with a growing share labeling the Muslim faith violent while a sharply rising minority calls it spiritually good. Although a majority considers Islam dangerous, a small but increasing segment believes Islam is similar to Christianity, according to a new survey by … [Read more...]
Nonreligious Americans see evidence of creator
By Lisa Cannon Green NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Life didn’t just happen, most Americans say—and a surprising number of nonreligious people agree. More than 4 in 10 of the nonreligious believe physics and humanity point to a creator, Lifeway Research finds. A third say human morality indicates a creator who defines right and wrong. And although the nonreligious are less likely … [Read more...]
Protestant pastors support, but rarely preach, animal welfare
By Lisa Cannon Green NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Protestant pastors overwhelmingly agree humanity has a God-given duty to care for animals. They just don’t mention it much from the pulpit. In a survey of 1,000 Protestant pastors, sponsored by Every Living Thing, a national campaign for the Evangelical Statement on Responsible Care for Animals, Lifeway Research finds a distance … [Read more...]
