Losing / Finding Faith - Pew Research

Is it the end of faith community in the age of declining religion, faith affiliation, and nominal definition? Or, is this a new beginning?  

The Pew Research Center published results for a recent survey which found that religion in general, and Christianity specifically, is dropping in the U.S. Roughly 23 percent of all respondents (Up 6% from 2007) claimed no religion, while those claiming Christianity fell 8% from 2007. 

For some (within religion), this sparks fear of the loss of some "foothold" (real or perceived?). For many others (outside of religion), this seems the logical evolution of reasonable people with access to information - neither celebrated nor mourned, merely the way things were inevitably headed. For a third group, however, the faithful, living in this era of the rise of the non-religious state,  this news is similarly expected. Rather than fear, though, the  response is excitement at what the inevitably changing face of religion (specifically Christianity) might look like in the present and coming age. 

What might it mean for a misfit faith community like Collective when the religious landscape is increasingly flooded with self-described religious misfits?  How do we improve and expand upon the hospitality we seek to create on the thresholds of faith: for those with a foot out the door of religion and those hesitant to step into spiritual community? 

We hope the following series of responses and reactions to the Pew Research (from voices within Collective), rather than offering answers, will add texture and depth to the conversation.  How does this data make you feel? How do you feel about the responses? Join the conversation in the comments section under each Blog Post.

"I suggest to you the latest Pew results
are not pointing to the death of the Christian religion, but a reclaiming of Christian faith for a 21st century world."

-Tina Mixon

Our first post will be from Collective blogger & online community leader, writer, thinker, speaker, consultant, theologian, IT specialist and more - Tina Mixon. She writes from the funny and familiar perspective of engaging the survey data results with a family member, via text, with whom she lovingly and passionately disagrees.