Religious Adherents in the United States of America, AD 1900-2000 4

▪ Table

Year Annual change, 1990-95

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

Christians 73,270,000 96.4 186,120,000 90.8 214,979,000 86.0 2,167,500 -317,900 1,849,600 0.83 224,457,000 85.3 233,475,000 84.9

Professing Christians 73,270,000 96.4 186,120,000 90.8 214,979,000 86.0 2,167,500 -317,900 1,849,600 0.83 224,457,000 85.3 233,475,000 84.9

Unaffiliated Christians 18,845,000 24.8 32,920,000 16.1 40,996,000 16.4 413,337 167,563 580,900 1.33 43,963,000 16.7 46,805,000 17.0

Affiliated Christians 54,425,000 71.6 153,200,000 74.7 173,983,000 69.6 1,754,160 -485,463 1,268,700 0.71 180,494,000 68.6 186,670,000 67.9

Roman Catholics 10,775,000 14.2 48,391,000 23.6 53,495,000 21.4 539,357 -244,757 294,600 0.54 55,259,000 21.0 56,441,000 20.5

Protestants 35,000,000 46.1 70,653,000 34.5 78,742,000 31.5 793,907 -401,107 392,800 0.49 80,678,000 30.6 82,670,000 30.0

Evangelicals 26,598,000 35.0 50,688,000 24.7 67,743,000 27.1 683,011 224,189 907,200 1.26 72,363,000 27.5 76,815,000 27.9

Anglicans 1,600,000 2.1 3,234,000 1.6 2,500,000 1.0 25,206 -54,906 -29,700 -1.26 2,350,000 0.9 2,203,000 0.8

Orthodox 400,000 0.5 4,387,000 2.1 4,999,000 2.0 50,402 75,698 126,100 2.27 5,631,000 2.1 6,260,000 2.3

Black Christians 5,750,000 7.6 19,679,000 9.6 23,998,000 9.6 241,957 1,343 243,300 0.97 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 6.9 173,901 56,099 230,000 1.26 18,420,000 7.0 19,548,000 7.1

Catholics (non-Roman) 100,000 0.1 472,000 0.2 500,000 0.2 5,041 59 5,100 0.98 526,000 0.2 551,000 0.2

Other Christians 800,000 1.1 6,384,000 3.1 9,749,000 3.9 98,293 138,207 236,500 2.20 10,789,000 4.1 12,114,000 4.4

Non-Christians 2,724,800 3.6 18,928,000 9.2 34,942,000 14.0 352,300 317,900 670,200 1.77 38,791,000 14.7 41,644,000 15.1

Atheists 1,000 0.0 200,000 0.1 750,000 0.3 7,562 12,138 19,700 2.36 870,000 0.3 947,000 0.3

Baha'is 2,800 0.0 138,000 0.1 250,000 0.1 2,521 8,979 11,500 3.86 300,000 0.1 365,000 0.1

Buddhists 30,000 0.0 200,000 0.1 700,000 0.3 7,058 29,942 37,000 4.33 780,000 0.3 1,070,000 0.4

Chinese folk religionists 70,000 0.1 90,000 0.0 80,000 0.0 807 -1,807 -1,000 -1.33 76,000 0.0 70,000 0.0

Hindus 1,000 0.0 100,000 0.0 500,000 0.2 5,041 64,959 70,000 9.15 910,000 0.3 1,200,000 0.4

Jews 1,500,000 2.0 6,700,000 3.3 5,515,000 2.2 55,604 -36,904 18,700 0.33 5,602,000 2.1 5,702,000 2.1

Muslims 10,000 0.0 800,000 0.4 4,500,000 1.8 45,371 77,629 123,000 2.45 5,100,000 1.9 5,730,000 2.1

Black Muslims 0 0.0 200,000 0.1 1,250,000 0.5 12,603 27,397 40,000 2.82 1,400,000 0.5 1,650,000 0.6

New-Religionists 0 0.0 110,000 0.1 750,000 0.3 7,562 24,838 32,400 3.66 947,000 0.4 1,074,000 0.4

Nonreligious 1,000,000 1.3 10,069,000 4.9 20,702,000 8.3 208,726 133,674 342,400 1.54 22,928,000 8.7 24,126,000 8.8

Sikhs 0 0.0 1,000 0.0 150,000 0.1 1,512 7,488 9,000 4.81 190,000 0.1 240,000 0.1

Tribal religionists 100,000 0.1 70,000 0.0 45,000 0.0 454 -1,954 -1,500 -3.97 38,000 0.0 30,000 0.0

Other religionists 10,000 0.0 450,000 0.2 1,000,000 0.4 10,082 -1,082 9,000 0.87 1,050,000 0.4 1,090,000 0.4

Total population 75,995,000 100.0 205,048,000 100.0 249,921,000 100.0 2,519,800 0 2,519,800 0.97 263,248,000 100.0 275,119,000 100.0

Methodology. This table depicts the United States, the country with the largest number of adherents to Christianity, which is the world's largest religion. Statistics for five

times in 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) per year, which together constitute the Total increase per year. Rate is then computed as percentage per year.

Structure. Vertically the table lists 27 major religious categories. The 12 major religions (including nonreligion) in the U.S. are listed alphabetically, except the largest

(Christians) is first. 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 by churches, usually to the last digit. The 1990 figures are current

estimates, rounded to the nearest 1,000. Because of rounding, the corresponding percentage figures may sometimes not total exactly 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. Churches, agencies, and individuals that call themselves by this term usually 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.

Other Christians. This term here denotes members of denominations and churches that regard themselves as outside mainline Protestant/Catholic/Orthodox Christianity.

Non-Christians. Followers of non-Christian religions or of no religion; the 12 largest such varieties are listed.

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.

(DAVID B. BARRETT)

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