Religion in Georgia looks less Christian, Pew study shows
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Georgians are less likely to identify as Christian now compared to a decade ago, per a new study.
The big picture: "This is a broad-based social change," says Alan Cooperman, the director of religion research at the Pew Research Center.
- "We've had rising shares of people who don't identify with any religion — so called 'nones' — and declining shares who identify as Christian, in all parts of the country, in all parts of the population, by ethnicity and race, among both men and women, and among people at all levels of the educational spectrum," he says about the survey findings.
Caveat: What researchers call a "secular surge" has plateaued in the last four years.
By the numbers: 67% of Georgians identify as Christian, according to Pew's Religious Landscape Study that surveyed more than 35,000 Americans about religious and social beliefs. That's a steep drop from 2014 (79%) and 2007 (85%).
- During the same time period, the percentage of people who say they are unaffiliated with a religion rose from 18% to 26%.
Statewide, roughly one-third of Christians say they identify as Evangelical Protestant (most of whom identify as Baptist), followed by Historically Black Protestant (14%)
Zoom in: Since 2014, the percentage of metro Atlantans who identify as Christian has dropped from 76% to 64%.
Zoom out: Nationally, 29% of U.S. adults are religiously unaffiliated, up from 16% in 2007, according to Pew.
- And 7% of U.S. adults identify with other religions, up from 5% in 2007.
Fun facts: 72% of Georgians have faith that Heaven exists, and 63% believe there's a place called Hell.
- Eight out of 10 Georgians say they completely or somewhat agree that they have a God-given duty to protect the Earth, including plants and animals.
Between the lines: A significant portion of U.S. adults (35%) have switched religion since childhood, according to the study.
What we're hearing: "It's not surprising," Penny Edgell, professor in the sociology department at University of Minnesota, tells Axios.
- "I think if you're more progressive, you might look at religion and say that the mainstream religious institutions don't reflect my values," particularly when it comes to topics like LGBTQ+ inclusion, she says.
Case in point: Fewer self-described liberals say they're Christian (37% — down from 62% in 2007) than are religiously unaffiliated, according to the Pew data.
- There's been a much smaller decline among self-described conservatives: from 89% identifying as Christian to 82%.