It might be shocking that divorce rates are lower than they were ten years ago. After all, we tend to hear so much about how divorce is prevalent. But it is not all good news. Coupled with lower divorce rates in the U.S. is a decline in both marriage and Christianity.
Marriage
The latest statistics from the Census Bureau show that in 2019, for every 1000 women, there were 16.3 new marriages, down from 17.6 in 2009. Divorce rates, by contrast, dropped from 9.7 to 7.6 in that same time frame.
What is causing this trend?
A 2015 article from the far-left Huffington Post lists seven reasons why this might be, which may speak volumes about modern culture. One reason people are reportedly getting married less is that they have a “choice” and no longer have to conform to the tradition of getting married, having babies, and buying that house with the “white picket fence.” In other words, the American Dream is dead.
Another reason the article lists is because of “working women.” While women going off to work and starting their careers is no longer a new concept since the feminist movement took hold of Western civilization, many women allegedly don’t want to give up their careers to become “housewives or stay-at-home moms.” Again, women now have more choices, and many are choosing their careers.
Christianity
Christianity is also on the decline in the United States, with the religious landscape rapidly changing. Pew Research conducted surveys in 2019 that showed that a smaller portion of adults are identifying as Christian.
A majority of adults (65%) consider themselves Christian, but this number is down 12 points from just a decade ago. Meanwhile, those who identify as atheist, agnostic, or “nothing in particular” (26%), are up 17% in the last decade.
Two of the most prominent sects of Christianity, Protestantism and Catholicism, are losing their population share as the “nothing in particulars” continue to rise. 43% of adults now identify as Protestant, indicating an 8% drop from 2009. Just one-in-five adults (20%) consider themselves Catholic, down 3% from 2009.
Political Affiliation & Age
While conservatives are often seen as Christians and Democrats are more likely to be atheists or unaffiliated with a religious group, research shows that the religious “nones” are growing in both parties.
Generation is another indicator of a seismic cultural shift. Baby Boomers (76%) and members of the Silent Generation (84%) identify as Christian while just half of Millennials (49%) identify as Christian.
