For the first time in history, Protestant Christians no longer hold the majority religious affilation in the United States, according to a recent study by the Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life. Now, only 48 percent of Americans identify themselves as Protestant, compared to over two-thirds during the 1970s and 1980s. Along with a decline in Protestants, the number of individuals who don’t identify with any religion has gone up in recent years, with almost one in five Americans saying they are “non-religious.”
Though Protestantism had a huge impact on the formation of modern American society, the country’s ever-changing demographics demonstrate a shift in religious affliation– which is certainly apparently in this year’s Republican presidential ticket, where for the first time Protestants are not represented.
KQED’s Michael Krasny talked about how he was unwavering in his faith as a child in front of a Commonwealth Club audience, but his pursuit of intellectual thought led him to identify with agnosticism as he grew older.
KQED’s Michael Krasny: Losing My Faith from Commonwealth Club on FORA.tv
