Theme 1: Increasingly, Americans are more interested in faith and spirituality than in Christianity.<\/p>\n
\u201cFaith remains a hot topic in America these days,\u201d\u009d George Barna commented, expanding on the theme. \u201cPoliticians, athletes, cultural philosophers, teachers, entertainers, musicians \u201d\u201c nearly everyone has something to say about faith, religion, spirituality, morality, and belief these days. But as the fundamental values and assumptions of our nation continue to shift, so do our ideas about faith and spirituality. Many of our basic assumptions are no longer firm or predictable.<\/p>\n
\u201cOne of those assumptions relates to how we develop our faith. These days,\u201d\u009d he continued, \u201cthe faith arena is a marketplace from which we get ideas, beliefs, relationships, habits, rituals and traditions that make immediate sense to us, and with which we are comfortable. The notion of associating with a particular faith \u201d\u201c whether it is Christianity, Judaism, Islam, or some other strain \u201d\u201c still has appeal because that connection provides a discernible identity and facilitates the possibility of belonging to something meaningful. But the actual components of what we choose to belong to are driven by our momentary needs and perceptions.<\/p>\n