RELIGION IN THE USA

Date: 2015-10-07; view: 463.

Further Reading

1. Focus on Britain. – London: Foreign and Commonwealth Office, 1993. – 40 p.

2. Sheering S. Spotlight on Britain [2-d edition] / S Sheering, J. Seath, G. White. – Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1990. – 140 p.

* A research in 2006 found that two thirds (66% – 32,2 million people) in the UK have no connection with any religion or church. In 2003 August, 18% of the British public said they were a practicing member of an organized religion, 25% they were members of a world religion. According to these results, one fifth of self-declared members would also not describe themselves as practicing that religion.

** “Many people are brought up, as part of their family, to say that they are Christian despite only having a precursory knowledge of Christ and only a vague belief in God.

America is a highly religious country, and has been since its earliest days. Nearly every religion in the world has adherents or organized institutions in the United States. American religious institutions are large, powerful and influential in social and political life. Even Americans who are members of no established religion are likely to believe in God. About 60% of Americans are members of a church, synagogue or other religious group, though many more identify with various religions because of their birth or upbringing. About 40% of Americans attend religious services regularly, compared to only 20% in UK.

Although the first English settlers came to America in search for religious freedom, they turned out to be as intolerable to other religions as the English government was to theirs, so the newcomers who belonged to a different denomination had to establish new colonies. For instance, Pennsylvania was established by Quakers, and Maryland by Roman Catholics. The first colony founded on the principle of state neutrality in matters of faith was Rhode Island, established by Roger Williams, who fled from religious oppression in Massachusetts.