The state of faith in America

“After many years of steady decline, the share of Americans who identify as Christians shows signs of leveling off,” reports a Pew Research Center survey. While America is still reflecting an overall decline in religiosity, the rate at which Americans report that lack of religion has stabilized, at least temporarily. Also:

“Religiously unaffiliated adults – those who identify as atheists, agnostics or as “nothing in particular” when asked about their religion – account for 29% of the population in the new RLS. The size of the religiously unaffiliated population, which we sometimes call religious “nones,” has plateaued in recent years after a long period of sustained growth.” These are the “nones” Bishop Barron is always referring to.

Overall, a majority of Americans have a “supernatural or spiritual” outlook on the world.

Anyway, you can read all the results for yourself. I do think it’s interesting this is happening in the post-COVID world. There has been so much lost-ness and brokeness. The period of the pandemic was so isolating and bewildering, that it is natural Americans as a whole would be searching for meaning, comfort, and something bigger than themselves.

I will next be on Morning Air on Thursday, February 13 at the usual 8:20 am eastern time. It is possible I will be talking about this, which is yet another sign of hope in our culture. See you then!

Meet Nino

I do love the name “Nino.” And Last Thursday i went on Morning Air to discuss “Nino” Baglieri, the 20th- and 21st-century Italian who, at age 17, became paralyzed from the waist down. After a decade in despair, a prayer experience led him to new life - that is, a sense of peace, freedom, and purpose as he overcame his limitations and decided to serve others. Nino is now on the path to sainthood. Listen to my conversation with John and Sarah here. My part starts around 15:16.

I hope everyone had a great Valentine’s Day!

Who was Nino Baglieri?

Friends, this morning at 8:20 eastern I will be on Morning Air to discuss a near-saint named Antonino “Nino” Baglieri. Nino, born in 1952 and passed in 2007, was a quadriplegic who lived a life of heroic virtue. He was not born disabled; at 17 he experienced a fall from a tall scaffolding, and became paralyzed from the neck down for the rest of his life. For the first decade of his affliction, he was depressed and despairing. However, following a prayer experience with a group from Renewal in the Spirit he underwent a profound interior change. From then on, he served others, in prayer, counsel, writing letters (with his mouth!), making phone calls, hosting visitors at his bedside as they sought his peace, and generally sharing the Gospel and being an example of accepting God’s will in his life. One of my favorite details from his life: After his death he was dressed in his running clothes, so that, as he said "on my last journey to God I can run to meet him."

An inquiry into his canonization has begun.

You can see how to listen here. If you do not live near a station, you can listen in the live player online here.

Nino Baglieri, pray for us!