By Cynthia Woolever
Almost all Americans (95%) celebrate Christmas, even those who say they are not too religious.[1] Yet in the public square, controversy continues about greeting others with “Merry Christmas” or “Happy Holidays” (considered by many to be more inclusive of non-Christians). Beyond just the greeting, other seasonal activities and traditions stir debates. In fact, two states—Wisconsin and Rhode Island—have called the evergreen in their state capital a holiday tree rather than a Christmas tree.
Do most Christian worshipers reject any kind of multiculturalism or relativism that tends to generate more inclusive seasonal language and public holiday displays? No. In fact, the majority of Catholic and mainline Protestant Christians support Christmas displays that incorporate religious symbols of multiple faith traditions.[2]
The U.S. Congregational Life Survey provides additional evidence of a Christian theological divide behind this season’s disagreements. The findings below represent the views of worshipers who participated in a survey during religious services. Thus, the results reflect the views of people who actually attend worship services versus the many polls of people who describe themselves as religious.
Conservative Protestant Worshipers vs. Other Christians
The majority of conservative Protestant worshipers do not agree with theological statements that indicate appreciation or tolerance for other religious traditions. On the other hand, more than half of Catholic and mainline Protestant worshipers express views consistent with an open stance toward non-Christians or people with “no religion.”
These survey results show how differently Christians in three faith groups express their understanding of salvation and Biblical teachings.
Figure 1
Do you agree or disagree with this statement: “All the different religions are equally good ways of helping a person find ultimate truth.”
- 62% of conservative Protestant worshipers disagree
- 27% of mainline Protestant worshipers disagree
- 20% of Catholic worshipers disagree
Figure 2
Which statement comes closest to your view of the Bible?
“The Bible is the word of God, to be taken literally word for word.”
- 55% of conservative Protestant worshipers agree
- 19% of mainline Protestant worshipers agree
- 17% of Catholic worshipers agree
Figure 3
Do you agree or disagree: “Only followers of Jesus Christ can be saved.”
- 74% of conservative Protestant worshipers agree
- 42% of mainline Protestant worshipers agree
- 39% of Catholic worshipers agree
The Nones
The growing percentage of people who say they have no religious affiliation—more than one in ten adults are now in this group—also celebrate the season with family and friends. Eric Weiner, author of “Man Seeks God: My Flirtations with the Divine,” claims he is among those who are undecided about God.[3] Yet he sees Christmas as an opportunity to discuss the private nature of religion publicly. He writes, “We Nones may not believe in God, but we hope to one day. We have a dog in this hunt.” He hopes for “a religious space that celebrates doubt, encourages experimentation and allows one to utter the word God without embarrassment.” Weiner’s preferred view of God: “a semicolon, connecting people, and generating what Aldous Huxley called ‘human grace.” This is certainly a message with the potential to unite people rather than divide them. Will your congregation offer this space for Nones in your midst this Christmas?
[1] The Gallup Poll (2010) also reports 80% of non-Christians celebrate the Christmas holiday. (http://www.gallup.com/poll/145367/christmas-strongly-religious-half-celebrate.aspx)
[2] U.S. News & World Report (2009). (http://www.usnews.com/opinion/blogs/jodie-allen/2009/12/21/merry-christmas-vs-happy-holidays-americans-are-apathetic)
[3] Eric Weiner, “Americans: Undecided About God?” New York Times, December 10, 2011. (http://www.nytimes.com/2011/12/11/opinion/sunday/americans-and-god.html)
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