Topic updates
Are you a Christian if you can't tell the Christmas story?
17th February 2023
This week I’ve been thinking about what identifying as a religious individual really means.
Our entire census data is built upon self-identification by individuals as belonging to a religious faith.
However, this becomes more complicated when we compare the notion of self-identification, with ideas of having a knowledge of the religion itself. This provides us with some excellent evaluative content for those tricky essays which ask us to evaluate the measures and definitions of religiosity.
The Lifeway Report from 2021 found that although 91% of Americans celebrate Christmas, that 17% could not tell any of the Christmas story, and a further 31% could only tell the story partially.
Interestingly, Americans with evangelical beliefs are three times more likely to have the ability to accurately tell the full biblical Christmas story from memory.
Of course, Interactionists would be less judgmental about the rules or expectations of being able to class oneself as a bonafide Christian, and would argue that self-identification produces a variety of individual meanings and interpretations of what Beliefs in Society are, and this may not include having a robust knowledge of biblical stories. This leads us to think about other, more spiritual beliefs and whether these are considered religions.
Read the full article here, and you may also like to take note of the methodology information which applies brilliantly to your research methods topic!
You might also like
Kanye’s Yeezus: vicarious religion or charismatic sect leader?
15th November 2022
Insta Clergy and Dolly Parton!
21st October 2022
Beliefs & Feminism: Black Churches Smashing the Stained Glass Ceiling!
11th October 2022
Religious Switching in the USA
4th October 2022
King Charles III's Views on Religion
20th September 2022
Boston Nuns Take Over Tik-Tok!
13th September 2022
Religious Diversity
Topic Videos
Stark and Bainbridge on Religion
Topic Videos