The Next American Spirituality: Finding God in the Twenty-First Century

George Gallup Jr. uses data from his famous polls to analyze the condition and future of spirituality in America, particularly in terms of evangelical Christianity. Gallup quizzes respondents in some detail about what religious activities (prayer, religiously motivated charitable work, Bible study, etc.) they participated in within the previous twenty-four hours. Gallup uses the polling statistics to consider potential benefits and dangers of current trends. For example, he concludes that widespread spiritual searching provides opportunities for Christians to present their faith, but a tendency to adopt a ""salad bar"" attitude toward religious practices weakens orthodoxy. Gallup discovers that although most Christians pray and use the Bible for devotions, there is widespread biblical and theological illiteracy. Gallup is tentative about projecting into the future but does advise churches to overtly emphasize Bible stories. Several thought-provoking chapters address Christians' efforts in the areas of serving the needy, developing spirituality and reaching out evangelistically. Another chapter discusses some demographic groups of Christians with special potential to influence society: African-American churches, young people and the ""pre-retired."" Given the weight of opinion polls in public debate, Gallup's figures and analyses are worthwhile reading for Christians and those who observe the American religious scene. (Feb.)