United States is one of the world’s most churchgoing societies. In this post we will be investigating why United States is seen as the most churchgoing societies in the world. Thomas Jefferson predicted that Bible would eventually be seen as only a book of myths and tales. Although anyone that generally understands American society would know that this prediction could be any more wrong. Religious belief and participation has declined in every other industrialized country.

            One main reason for the long lasting participation in religious practices is that America was founded on the principle of the freedom to practice religion. The original settlers sailed from England to be able to practice the religion of their choice. This image has stayed with America through out time, attracting immigrants from all over the world. As a result America’s religious community has constantly increase as religious immigrants continue to settle.

            Michael Kimmel and Amy Aronson’s book Sociology Now states that one of the main factor to Americans dominant religious participation is due to it religious institutions. They state “American religious institutions have grown as providers of social support and cultural interaction.” (500). In American society churches become the centerpiece of life. Towns generally place their churches in the center of the community. This is because of the frequent use of the building. Churches hold classes, meeting, events and of course religious services. An individual can go to school take a reading class and practice their belief in one place if they choose to.

            Another interesting argument of why religion is so popular in American is because of the division of church and state. That these regulations create a type of sub-culture that goes against the dominant culture. By making ones self a minority, who is a victim of the dominant culture, is a great way to recruit followers for a sub culture. Although this is true in sociological terms, I don’t believe this is true for American religious culture. Religion has grown in such a large scale; one could almost say it has become the dominant culture.