Belief In God Remains Consistent

Belief in God and an afterlife, as well as commitment to prayer and church attendance, have remained generally consistent in the United States over the past 50 years, according to a new report by the Princeton Religion Research Center.

Today, 96 percent of Americans surveyed said they believe in God or a universal spirit, the report says. In 1947, 95 percent said they believed in a higher power.

Today, 71 percent believe in an afterlife; 73 percent did then. Ninety percent of Americans say they pray, the same as 50 years ago. And 41 percent attend church or synagogue “once a week” or “almost every week,” once again the same as in 1947.

Yet despite such apparent theological consistency, Americans have never been more enamored of Eastern philosophies, self-help faith strategies and alternative forms of spirituality, according to sociologists and religious leaders. And denominational loyalties frequently are cast aside by those who regularly attend religious services.