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The Casual Christian

by Kathy Brown on August 18th, 2009 | 8 comments

(Parts of this article are taken from “Casual Christians and the Future of America”

Barna Report/May 22, 2009)

 

Barna, in his book Seven Faith Tribes, has researched the faith of Americans and identifies seven distinctive groups:  Casual Christians, Captive Christians, Mormons, Jews, Pantheists, Muslims and Skeptics.  Which, would you guess, is the most prevalent in our country?

 

The Casual Christian represents 66% of the adult population.  (The percentage of the adult population represented by the other half-dozen tribes included 16% who are Captive Christians, 2% Jews, 2% Mormons, 2% Pantheists, one-half of 1% Muslims, and 11% Skeptics.) 

 

What is the appeal of Casual Christianity?  It is faith in moderation.  It allows people to feel religious without having to prioritize their faith.  Christianity is a low-risk, predictable proposition, providing a perspective that is not demanding.  A Casual Christian can be all the things that they esteem:  a nice human being, a family person, religious, an exemplary citizen, a reliable employee—and never have to publicly defend or represent difficult moral or social positions or even lose much sleep over their private choices as long as they mean well and generally do their best.   From their perspective, their brand of faith practice is genuine, realistic and practical.  To them Casual Christianity is the best of all worlds; it encourages them to be a better person than if they had been irreligious, yet it is not a faith into which they feel compelled to heavily invest themselves.   

 

The Casual Christian is comfortable.  It offers them insights, if they choose to accept them, gives them a community of relationships if they desire, fulfills their inner need to have some type of connection with a deity, and provides the image of being a decent, faith-friendly person.  Because Casuals do not view matters of faith as central to one’s purpose or success in life, this brand of Christianity supplies the multi-faceted levels of satisfaction and assurance that they desire.

 

How does the Casual Christian see Truth?  They don’t stand for much, and they generally lack the spiritual backbone to discuss crucial issues that impact families, communities and the nation.  In short, their worldview is not personally consistent and is shallow when confronted by opposition.

 

Next article:  The Captive Christian . . .

 

 

 

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This website was established by Kathryn M. Brown. Kathryn was commissioned as a Centurion in 2008 after participating in BreakPoint’s Centurions Program. This is a study program founded by Chuck Colson of BreakPoint and Prison Fellowship to equip Christians to train others with a biblical worldview and to turn the world right-side up through biblical thinking and living. For more information, visit www.breakpoint.org/resources/centurions.