Explanations for the high levels of attendance at

church in the USA

(1) Will Herberg

Herberg argues that to be an American - to demonstrate an American

identity – often requires a public commitment to a religious
organisation. This is because America is an immigrant society – it is
made up of people from a wide range of social and ethnic backgrounds,
and consequently, there is always the potential for cultural conflict and
social disorder. Religion is the means of bringing people from
disparate backgrounds together and promoting a common sense
of purpose and community.

In particular, Herberg notes that the three major religions of the USA –
Protestantism, Catholicism and Judaism - have become more and more
alike in their teachings. He argues that all three religions place as
much emphasis on the American way of life and its core values of
freedom, democracy, economic success and achievement as they
do on their religious beliefs.

The implication of Herberg’s ideas is that the high levels of religious

attendance in the USA (which seem to contradict secularisation in Europe)
may reflect community values rather than religious values and
beliefs. However, this may not be true of religious attendance in the so-
called ‘bible-belt’ of the USA in which fundamentalist Protestant
religions dominate with their strong commitment to a literal
interpretation of the bible and to strict moral codes based on the
‘word of God’.

(2) Scharf

Scharf suggests that in the USA religion has become a commodity to

sell like any other product and that the huge number of religious
denominations, sects and cults in USA – estimated to number 320,000 in
2007 – tailor their product to meet market demand. Many advertise
their unique characteristics in much the same way as companies market
their products.
Scharf notes that religion is successful in the USA because religions
work hard to attract customers and therefore to expand their
congregations rather than just appealing to the loyalty of a fixed
number of participants. In this sense, religious beliefs and practices in
the USA are more flexible than those found in Europe.