Estimated read time: 1-2 minutes
This archived news story is available only for your personal, non-commercial use. Information in the story may be outdated or superseded by additional information. Reading or replaying the story in its archived form does not constitute a republication of the story.
SALT LAKE CITY — Americans' confidence in organized religion is at an all-time low, although they say religion remains an important part of their lives, according to a new Gallup poll.
It says 44 percent of Americans have a great deal or quite a lot of confidence in "the church or organized religion." Gallup says that follows a long-term decline in Americans' confidence in religion since the 1970s.
It's a slight drop from 2002, when the number was 45 percent. It stood at 46 percent in 2007.
The poll did not ask about specific religions. However, it shows 56 percent of Protestants express a great deal or quite a lot of confidence in the church/organized religion, compared with 46 percent of Catholics. The same poll found Americans' confidence in public schools, banks, and television news at their all-time lowest.
Researchers stated: "While various sex abuse scandals involving U.S. clerics have likely played a role in Americans' growing skepticism about church and organized religion, the decline in confidence does not necessarily indicate a decline in Americans' personal attachment to religion.
"The percentage of Americans saying religion is very important in their lives has held fairly steady since the mid-1970s, after dropping sharply from 1952 levels."
The survey included 1,004 adults and was taken June 7-10.
Contributing: Nkoyo Iyamba
