Religious Adherents in the United States of America, AD 1900-2000 3

▪ Table

Year Annual change, 1990-95

Adherents 1900 % mid-1970 % mid-1990 % Natural Conversion Total Rate (%) 1995 % 2000 %

Christians 73,270,000 96.4 186,121,000 90.8 214,979,000 86.0 2,264,100 -368,500 1,895,600 0.87 224,457,000 85.3 233,475,000 84.8

Professing Christians 73,270,000 96.4 186,121,000 90.8 214,979,000 86.0 2,264,100 -368,500 1,895,600 0.87 224,457,000 85.3 233,475,000 84.8

Affiliated Christians 54,425,000 71.6 153,201,000 74.7 173,983,000 69.6 1,832,300 -526,300 1,306,000 0.74 180,513,000 68.6 186,670,000 67.8

Protestants 35,000,000 46.1 71,653,000 34.9 78,742,000 31.5 829,300 -442,100 387,200 0.49 80,678,000 30.7 82,670,000 30.0

Evangelicals 26,598,000 35.0 50,689,000 24.7 67,743,000 27.1 713,400 210,600,000 924,000 1.33 72,363,000 27.5 76,815,000 27.9

Roman Catholics 10,775,000 14.2 48,391,000 23.6 53,495,000 21.4 563,400 -210,600 352,800 0.65 55,259,000 21.0 56,441,000 20.5

Black Christians 5,750,000 7.6 19,679,000 9.6 23,998,000 9.6 252,700 -100 252,600 1.03 25,261,000 9.6 26,431,000 9.6

Black Evangelicals 5,320,000 7.0 13,551,000 6.6 17,248,000 6.9 181,600 52,800,000 234,400 1.32 18,420,000 7.0 19,548,000 7.1

Orthodox 400,000 0.5 3,387,000 1.7 4,999,000 2.0 52,600 73,800,000 126,400 2.41 5,631,000 2.1 6,260,000 2.3

Anglicans 1,600,000 2.1 3,234,000 1.6 2,500,000 1.0 26,300 -56,300 -30,000 -1.23 2,350,000 0.9 2,203,000 0.8

Catholics (non-Roman) 100,000 0.1 472,000 0.2 500,000 0.2 5,300 -100 5,200 1.02 526,000 0.2 551,000 0.2

Other Christians 800,000 1.1 6,384,000 3.1 9,749,000 3.9 102,700 105,300 208,000 2.05 10,789,000 4.1 12,114,000 4.4

Unaffiliated Christians 18,845,000 24.8 32,920,000 16.1 40,996,000 16.4 431,800 157,800,000 589,600 1.40 43,944,000 16.7 46,805,000 17.0

Non-Christians 2,725,000 3.6 18,930,000 9.2 34,996,000 14.0 368,500 368,500,000 737,000 2.02 38,681,000 14.7 41,849,000 15.2

Jews 1,500,000 2.0 6,700,000 3.3 5,515,000 2.2 58,100 -40,700 17,400 0.31 5,602,000 2.1 5,702,000 2.1

Muslims 10,000 0.0 800,000 0.4 4,500,000 1.8 47,400 72,600,000 120,000 2.53 5,100,000 1.9 5,730,000 2.1

Black Muslims 0 0.0 200,000 0.1 1,250,000 0.5 13,200 16,800,000 30,000 2.29 1,400,000 0.5 1,650,000 0.6

New Religionists 0 0.0 110,000 0.1 750,000 0.3 7,900 31,500,000 39,400 4.78 947,000 0.4 1,074,000 0.4

Hindus 1,000 0.0 100,000 0.0 500,000 0.2 5,300 76,700,000 82,000 12.72 910,000 0.3 1,200,000 0.4

Baha'is 2,000 0.0 138,000 0.1 250,000 0.1 2,600 7,400,000 10,000 3.71 300,000 0.1 365,000 0.1

Buddhists 30,000 0.0 200,000 0.1 250,000 0.1 2,600 -6,200 -3,600 -1.48 232,000 0.1 200,000 0.1

Sikhs 0 0.0 1,000 0.0 150,000 0.1 1,600 6,400,000 8,000 4.84 190,000 0.1 240,000 0.1

Chinese folk-religionists 70,000 0.1 90,000 0.0 80,000 0.0 800 -1,600 -800 -1.02 76,000 0.0 70,000 0.0

Tribal religionists 100,000 0.1 70,000 0.0 45,000 0.0 500 -1,900 -1,400 -3.32 38,000 0.0 31,000 0.0

Other religionists 10,000 0.0 450,000 0.2 1,000,000 0.4 10,500 10,500,000 21,000 2.02 1,105,000 0.4 1,090,000 0.4

Nonreligious 1,000,000 1.3 10,071,000 4.9 21,206,000 8.5 223,300 197,700,000 421,000 1.91 23,311,000 8.9 25,157,000 9.1

Atheists 1,000 0.0 200,000 0.1 750,000 0.3 7,900 16,100,000 24,000 3.01 870,000 0.3 990,000 0.4

Total population 75,995,000 100.0 205,051,000 100.0 249,975,000 100.0 2,632,600 0 2,632,600 1.03 263,138,000 100.0 275,324,000 100.0

Methodology. This table extracts a microcosm of the world table above. It depicts the United States, the country with the largest number of adherents to Christianity, the world's largest religion. Statistics for five points

in time across the 20th century are presented. Also analyzed is each religion's Annual change by: Natural increase (births minus deaths, plus immigrants minus emigrants) per year and Conversion (new converts

minus new defectors), which together constitute the Total increase per year. Rate is then computed as percent per year.

Structure. Vertically the table lists 27 major religious categories. The 11 major religions (including nonreligion) in the U.S. are arrayed according to size in 1990, with largest (Christians) first; likewise Christianity's

seven major ecclesiastico-cultural blocs are ranked by 1990 size. Indented names of groups in the "Adherents" column are subcategories of the groups above them and are also counted in these unindented totals, so they are not

added into the column total. Figures for Christians in 1970 are built upon detailed head counts, then rounded to the nearest 1,000; 1990 figures are current estimates, also rounded. Because of the rounding, percentage calculations

sometimes may not total 100%. Figures for AD 2000 are projections based on current long-term trends.

Christians. Professing Christians are all persons who profess publicly (in censuses or polls) to follow Jesus Christ as Lord and Saviour. This category is subdivided into affiliated Christians (church members) and

unaffiliated (nominal) Christians (professing Christians not affiliated with any church).

Evangelicals, Protestant and Black. Churches, agencies, and individuals that call themselves by this term and/or emphasize five or more fundamental doctrines (salvation by faith, personal acceptance, verbal inspiration of

Scripture, depravity of man, Virgin Birth, miracles of Christ, atonement, evangelism, Second Advent).

Black Christians. Members of denominations initiated by African-Americans.

Non-Christians. Followers of other, non-Christian religions or of no religion.

Other Christians. Members of denominations and churches regarding themselves as outside mainline Christianity.

Jews. Core Jewish population relating to Judaism, excluding Jewish persons professing a different religion but including immigrants from the former U.S.S.R., Eastern Europe, Israel, and other areas.

Other categories. Definitions as given above under the Worldwide Adherents table.

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