Survey Shows Christmas Church Attendance Is on the Decline
According to a new study by the Nashville-based Lifeway Research, Americans are split on attending church this Christmas season. The survey, conducted in August with over 1,200, found that nearly half (47 percent) said they typically attend church during the holiday season, while 48 percent do not, and 5 percent were unsure.
"The very name 'Christmas' originates in the church's celebration of Jesus Christ's birth. In the mid-14th century, the words 'Christ's Mass' were first merged as a single term for this celebration," said Scott McConnell, executive director of Lifeway Research. "While 9 in 10 Americans do something to celebrate Christmas, less than half typically attend church at Christmastime today."
According to The Christian Post, the study also noted a stark contrast amongst various denominations, including Protestants (57 percent), Catholics (56 percent), and those from other religious backgrounds (53 percent) over the religiously unaffiliated are more likely to attend church at Christmastime. Meanwhile, 71 percent of religiously unaffiliated individuals said they do not typically attend church during Christmas.
The frequency of church attendance was also a significant factor in the survey, with 95 percent of those who attend church more than once a week saying they often attend church at Christmas.
When it comes to respondents with Evangelical beliefs, 72 percent report attending church during Christmas, while the same was said amongst 40 percent of those without Evangelical beliefs.
As noted in the study, 22 percent and 27 percent of respondents who rarely attend church or only go on holidays, respectively, cited tradition as their primary reason for attending, when compared to 10 percent of regular weekly attendees.
Compared to just 10% of weekly regular attendees, 22% and 27% of people who attend church infrequently or only on holidays, respectively, said they do so primarily to observe tradition.
"While church services draw more people in the Christmas season, their prime motivation isn't unified," said McConnell. "The majority are drawn to celebrate the birth of Jesus, honoring Him as the Christ or promised Messiah. But others mostly join in because of the importance of family, their embrace of Christmas church tradition or to jump-start Christmas vibes."
Meanwhile, 56 percent of those who usually skip church said they would likely attend if they were invited by someone they know, including 17 percent who are very likely to go. In contrast, 36 percent said they're unlikely to attend, with 24 percent stating they are very unlikely.
"More than one in eight Americans are convinced they would not attend a Christmas service if an acquaintance invited them," McConnell said. "However, the majority of Americans who do not typically attend church at Christmastime say they probably would if they were invited by someone they know."
Across denominations, Catholics (71 percent), Protestants (65 percent), and those of other faiths (58 percent) are more likely to say they would attend if invited than the religiously unaffiliated (40 percent). The probability of accepting an invitation is also higher among women (61 percent), Hispanics (72 percent), and individuals with Evangelical beliefs (69 percent).
However, 48 percent of older Americans aged 65 and older said they were unlikely to attend a church service even if someone invited them or not.
The Lifeway Research survey paralleled the results of a Gallup poll in March, which found that church attendance declined across most U.S. religious groups.
Eleven percent of Americans report attending religious services around once a month, while three out of ten do so weekly (21 percent) or almost every week (9 percent). Another 56 percent of respondents said they attend religious services infrequently (25 percent) or never (31 percent).
Photo Credit: ©Getty Images/RyanJLane
Originally published December 09, 2024.
