Religion News Service reports that a new Gallup Poll found that Americans’ self-reported church attendance has increased slightly since 2008. When asked, “How often do you attend church, synagogue or mosque?” 43.1 percent of Americans in 2010 said they attended church “at least once a week” or “almost every week.” That’s up from 42.8 percent in 2009 and 42.1 percent in 2008.
Researchers previously believed church attendance rises when economic times are bad. The Gallup data, however, indicates the opposite may be happening. “There has been well-publicized speculation about the possibility that church attendance has risen duringi the past two years as Americans became more despondent and worried as a result of the economic recession,” Frank Newport of Gallup writes. “However, trends…reflect just the opposite pattern, with church attendance and economic confidence increasing from 2008 to 2009, and now into 2010.” (from Religion Today)