This is a special challenge for Orthodox Christians who are not specifically identified in this research, probably because Orthodox Christianity is statistically too small a sample or because of some biases of the research group. Nevertheless, Orthodox Christians may have some of the same issues as other American "Christians" but there is also a real opportunity in being open, accessible and available for those in the "gap" whether they are Orthodox Christians that are "unchurched" (to use Barna's terminology) or some other self-identified Christians - as well as the 20% that do not know Christianity or have rejected it.
Below is the section of the actual report from the Barna Research Group:
Faith Group Category: Self-Identified Christians
Most Americans – roughly four out of five – consider themselves to be Christians. For that majority, the past two decades have been a time of substantial religious change. Just as American society itself is in a state of substantial upheaval, so are those who declare themselves to be Christian redefining the core practices and beliefs of Christianity in America. Five of the six religious behaviors tracked underwent statistically significant changes since 1991, and five of the seven belief measures also changed notably.
The five transitions in religious behaviors included the following:
- Attendance at a church service in any given week has declined among self-identified Christians by nine percentage points since 1991. Now only a minority of this group – 47% - can be found in church events during a typical week.
- Adults from this segment are currently eight percentage points less likely to attend Sunday school in a typical week than was true twenty years ago. Less than one out of five (18%) now attend during a typical week.
- Whereas 30% of the self-identified Christians volunteered at a church during a typical week back in 1991, that figure has declined to 22% today.
- Bible reading dropped slightly over the last 20 years within this segment, going from 51% to 46%. This is another marker in which a majority of this group no longer participates.
- Those who embrace the label “Christian” for themselves are now ten percentage points more likely to be unchurched than was true in 1991. The 31% who fit this profile have not attended any church service during the past six months, excluding special services such as weddings or funerals.
