Why The US South Is Insanely Religious

Summary

This script explores the religious landscape of the United States, focusing on the 'Bible Belt' in the South where Protestant Christianity thrives, contrasting with the secularism in New England. It delves into the historical roots of this divide, from the Puritan migration to the Great Awakenings, and examines how economic factors, geographic conditions, and evolving religious practices contributed to the South's distinct religious fervor. The script also touches on the decline of Christianity in the US and the potential implications for the future.

Takeaways

• 📍 This map shows the percentage of adults who are highly religious per state, highlighting the distinct Bible Belt in the southern region.
• 🕍 Protestant Christianity plays a strong role in society in the Bible Belt, with higher church attendance than the national average.
• 📜 The South's religious intensity traces back to the founding of the 13 colonies, with Jamestown, Virginia being established for economic reasons and populated by Anglicans.
• 🛐 New England was founded by Puritans seeking to escape religious persecution in Europe, leading to a deeply religious society initially, but this influence waned over time.
• 🌽 The South's economy was historically agricultural, supporting large plantations and a hierarchical society, while New England diversified early with fishing, shipbuilding, and trade.
• 📚 The industrialization and urbanization of the North led to a more secular society, with increased public education and exposure to diverse viewpoints.
• 🌊 The Great Awakenings were significant religious revivals that impacted the South more profoundly, with charismatic preachers and mass conversions promoting evangelical Protestantism.
• 🗺️ The geographical and social conditions of the South allowed for a more flexible adaptation of Christianity, making it a part of the cultural identity beyond just theological obedience.
• 📈 The Second Great Awakening saw explosive growth in Baptist and Methodist churches, emphasizing personal redemption and less hierarchical religious structures.
• 📡 The modern era of televangelism and figures like Billy Graham reinforced and spread evangelical Christianity in the South, cementing its religious identity.

Q & A

What is the term used to describe the region in the United States with a high concentration of adults who are highly religious?

The term used is the 'Bible Belt', which is a region in the Southern United States known for its strong Protestant Christianity influence.

Why was the Church of England established in the first British colonies in North America?

The Church of England was established because the settlers came from England where it was the official state religion, and it was part of replicating English societal structures and maintaining loyalty to the crown.

What was the main reason for the Puritan migration to the New England colonies between 1620 and 1640?

The Puritans migrated to escape persecution in England and to create a society based on their religious beliefs, which included purifying the church from Catholic practices and implementing a more rigorous form of worship.

How did the economic prosperity and changing demographics in New England contribute to the rise of secularism in the region?

As the colony developed and became more economically prosperous, religious conviction among the second and third generations of settlers weakened, and the influx of people with different backgrounds and beliefs diluted the Puritan influence, leading to a more secular society.

What factors helped preserve Christianity in the South despite the same challenges faced by the North?

The South's less homogeneous religious landscape allowed for a more flexible adaptation of religious practices to changing social conditions, and its more agricultural focus and rural nature helped maintain a traditional community-centered way of life where the church played a significant role.

What were the key differences between the religious practices of the 'Old Lights' and the 'New Lights' during the Great Awakenings?

The 'Old Lights', mainly Puritans, Baptists, and Presbyterians, rejected the revival movement as theatrical, while the 'New Lights' embraced it, viewing emotional experiences and passionate preaching as genuine manifestations of divine power.

How did the Second Great Awakening differ from the First in terms of its focus on religious growth?

While the First Great Awakening focused on reviving piety among existing church members, the Second Great Awakening aimed at attracting new members and re-engaging worshippers through active, energetic tent revivals.

What role did Charles Finney play in the Second Great Awakening, and how did his approach differ from previous revivalists?

Charles Finney was a key figure who promoted mass conversions during revival meetings, encouraging neighbors to convert together, which differed from the individual conversions of the past.

How did the rise of industrialization and urbanization in the North impact the religious landscape compared to the more agricultural South?

Industrialization and urbanization in the North led to the growth of public education and exposure to diverse viewpoints, which increased secularism. In contrast, the South's agricultural focus sustained a more community-centered way of life with a stronger church presence.

What factors have contributed to the decline of Christianity in the United States, including the Bible Belt?

Factors include the rise of rationalism and science, America becoming more multicultural, and religion becoming more intensely mixed with politics, which has disillusioned many people, especially younger generations.

What is the projected trend for the Christian population in the United States by 2070, and what does this signify?

The Christian population is projected to dip below 50% by 2070, making it no longer the majority religion for the first time in the country's history, indicating a broader trend of disengagement from organized religion.

Outlines

00:00

🗺️ The Bible Belt and Its Religious Roots

This paragraph introduces a map showing the percentage of adults who are highly religious across different states, highlighting the distinctiveness of the southern region known as the Bible Belt. It explains how Protestant Christianity plays a significant role in society there, with higher church attendance than the national average. The paragraph delves into the historical context, tracing back to the founding of the 13 colonies, particularly Jamestown, Virginia, and the religious influences of the time, including Anglicanism and the Puritan movement.

05:02

🌾 Economic and Religious Divergence

This paragraph discusses the economic and geographical factors contributing to the differing religious landscapes in the North and South. New England's economy diversified early due to its less conducive agricultural conditions, leading to industrial growth and urbanization. In contrast, the South's fertile soil supported large plantations, fostering a more agricultural focus. The industrialization of the North led to increased secularism, while the South's traditional community-centered way of life helped maintain a strong religious influence.

10:03

🔥 The Great Awakenings and Religious Revivals

This paragraph explores the series of religious revivals known as the Great Awakenings, which profoundly impacted the religious landscape in the United States. The First Great Awakening, driven by passionate preachers like George Whitefield and Jonathan Edwards, emphasized emotional spirituality and personal religious experiences. The movement led to divisions within religious communities, with 'Old Lights' rejecting and 'New Lights' embracing revivalist practices. The South's less hierarchical religious structure allowed evangelical denominations to flourish, establishing a strong presence that persisted through subsequent awakenings.

15:04

📈 Industrialization, Education, and Secularism

This paragraph highlights the changes brought by industrialization and education in the North, which contributed to a more secular society. The establishment of public education systems and exposure to diverse viewpoints through urbanization led to a decline in religious adherence. In contrast, the South's slower industrialization and continued agricultural focus helped preserve traditional religious practices. The Second Great Awakening focused on attracting new church members through energetic tent revivals, particularly in rural areas, further entrenching evangelical Christianity in the South.

20:05

📉 Decline of Christianity in Modern America

This paragraph examines the decline of Christianity in the United States, noting a significant drop in the percentage of the population identifying as Christian from 91% in 1976 to 64% in 2022. It discusses the rise of secularism and the growing number of Americans identifying as religiously unaffiliated, including atheists, agnostics, and those with no specific religious affiliation. Factors contributing to this trend include rationalism, scientific thought, multiculturalism, and the mixing of religion with politics, which has disillusioned many, particularly younger generations.

Keywords

💡Bible Belt

The term 'Bible Belt' refers to a region in the Southern United States known for its high concentration of religious residents, particularly Protestant Christians. In the video, it is highlighted as a region with a distinct cultural identity where church attendance is notably higher than the national average, contrasting with the more secular New England.

💡Puritans

Puritans were a group of English Protestants in the 16th and 17th centuries who sought to 'purify' the Church of England from its 'Catholic' practices. In the context of the video, they are depicted as the founders of New England, who established a society deeply rooted in their faith, which later contributed to the region's secularization.

💡Anglican Church

The Anglican Church, also known as the Church of England, is a Protestant Christian denomination that was the official state religion of England at the time of the colonization of North America. The video explains that the settlers in the Southern colonies were mostly Anglican, and this influenced the religious and societal structures that developed in these regions.

💡Great Awakening

The Great Awakening refers to a series of religious revivals that swept through the United States, beginning in the 18th century. The video discusses how these movements, particularly the First and Second Great Awakenings, significantly influenced the religious landscape of the country, especially in the South, by promoting a more personal and emotional form of Christianity.

💡Secularism

Secularism is the principle of the separation of government institutions and persons mandated to represent the state from religious institutions. The video describes the rise of secularism in New England as the region diversified economically and became more focused on education and commerce, leading to a decline in religious influence.

💡Evangelical Protestantism

Evangelical Protestantism is a movement within Christianity that emphasizes personal faith in Jesus Christ, the authority of the Bible, and the importance of sharing one's faith with others. The video explains how this movement, born out of the Great Awakenings, became particularly influential in the South, leading to the region's high religiosity.

💡Industrial Revolution

The Industrial Revolution refers to the period during the 18th and 19th centuries when agrarian societies became industrialized. The video notes that the industrialization of the North led to urbanization and a shift towards secularism, in contrast to the South's continued focus on agriculture and traditional community-centered lifestyles.

💡Televangelism

Televangelism is the use of television and radio to spread religious messages and conduct religious services. The video mentions the rise of televangelism in the 20th century, particularly highlighting figures like Billy Graham, who used mass media to reach millions and reinforce Evangelical Christian beliefs in the South.

💡Religious Unaffiliated

The term 'religious unaffiliated' refers to individuals who do not identify with any particular religion, including atheists, agnostics, and those who describe their religion as 'nothing in particular.' The video discusses the rise of this group in the United States, which reflects a broader trend of disengagement from organized religion, affecting the religious landscape of the entire country.

💡Megachurch

A megachurch is a Protestant Christian church that has a sustained average weekly attendance of 2,000 or more in its worship services. The video points out that the growth of Evangelical denominations, particularly in the South, led to the emergence of megachurches, which became more visible and influential due to their large memberships.

💡Southern Baptist Convention

The Southern Baptist Convention is a Christian denomination and the second-largest Christian denomination in the United States. The video discusses its growth and influence, particularly in the South, and how it became the world's largest Baptist denomination, largely due to the efforts of evangelists like Billy Graham.

Highlights

The Southern region of the United States, known as the Bible Belt, has a distinct higher percentage of adults who are highly religious compared to the rest of the country.

Protestant Christianity plays a significant role in the society of the Bible Belt, with higher church attendance than the national average.

The contrast between the religious intensity of the South and the secularism of New England is a historical anomaly, considering New England's Puritan origins.

The founding of Jamestown in 1607 and the motivations for British colonization set the stage for the religious and economic development of North America.

The Church of England's retention of Catholic elements led to the Puritan movement, which sought to purify the church and establish a society based on their beliefs.

A significant Puritan migration to New England between 1620 and 1640 established Plymouth Colony and a society deeply rooted in their faith.

The South's economic focus from the start led to a less religiously intense society, with a mix of denominations and a hierarchical structure.

Over time, the descendants of Puritan settlers in New England became less religiously fervent, leading to a rise in secularism.

The South's less rigid religious practices allowed for a more flexible adaptation to social changes, sustaining its influence and becoming part of the cultural identity.

Geographical factors and the focus on large-scale agriculture in the South contributed to a more traditional, community-centered way of life with a significant church role.

The Great Awakenings were a series of religious revivals that significantly impacted the religious landscape of the United States, especially in the South.

The Second Great Awakening saw the rise of Evangelical Protestantism and the growth of Baptist and Methodist churches in the South.

The Third Great Awakening promoted social activism and the founding of institutions like the Salvation Army and the YMCA.

The term 'Bible Belt' emerged during the Third Great Awakening, which coincided with the Civil War and the rise of media use for religious purposes.

The Fourth Great Awakening, though debated, is characterized by the use of radio and television for religious broadcasting, connecting believers and spreading messages.

The decline of Christianity in the United States, including the Bible Belt, is attributed to factors such as multiculturalism, politics, and disillusionment among younger generations.

The rise of the 'nones' or religiously unaffiliated individuals reflects a broader trend of disengagement from organized religion in the US.

Transcripts

this is a map showing the percentage of

adults who are highly religious per

state looking at it you'll notice this

southern region over here is much more

distinct than the rest in fact it's so

distinct it even has its own name the

Bible Belt Protestant Christianity plays

a strong role in society here and church

attendance across the denominations is

much higher than the nation's average

but why is that why is this part of

America so much more religious than the

rest I mean New England was literally

founded by Puritans who thought Europe

was too Godless and is now the most

atheistic region in the union so what's

happened well to understand this

religious flip-flop and the intensity of

it in the South we need to go all the

way back to the beginning and I mean

back to the literal founding of the 13

colonies themselves with the first one

being Jamestown Virginia in

16007 like with many other European

powers at the time economic reasons were

the best way to sum up the motivations

for colonization and the British

colonizing North America was no

different so people were sent to live in

this area to establish a British

settlement here and since they came from

England where the church of England aka

the Anglican Church was the official

state religion the people who made up

this region were mostly Anglican the

thing is though the Church of England at

this point in time had only been

separated by the Roman Catholic church

and turned into a Protestant Anglican

country since 1534 and even then there

were some brief Restorations of

Catholicism like under the reign of

Queen Mary the from 1553 to

1558 so the point I'm trying to make is

even though the Church of England was

technically Anglican there were still

many retained elements of Catholicism in

it and this is where the Puritan

Movement became a thing because they

were a group of people who wanted to

purify the church from what they viewed

as Catholic practices and to implement a

more rigorous form of worship and church

governance but the thing is their

efforts and beliefs caused tension and

persecution causing them to flee the

country and to create a society in the

manner they believed God truly intended

it to be designed so from 1620 to 1640

there was a Puritan migration to the New

England colonies of British America with

as many as 20,000 of them making the

trip over mostly in families as opposed

to isolated individuals and establishing

the now Plymouth Colony the second

permanent English colony in America

after

Jamestown so at this point in time there

was basically a religious IDE between

puritanism in the North and the

anglicans in the South this was

reflected in their living too with the

Puritans establishing a society deeply

rooted in their faith with strict moral

codes and a focus on community worship

the Puritans influence was so profound

that it permeated nearly every aspect of

life in New England from governance to

daily

routines meanwhile in the South and it's

not to say they weren't religious at all

because they certainly were but their

motivation for the settlement was

largely economic from the start part

focused on agriculture trade and that

sort of stuff the establishment of the

Anglican Church in these colonies was

part of replicating English societal

structures and maintaining loyalty to

the crown there were also a mix of other

denominations among settlers too meaning

that there was no one Central religious

identity that held all the power so as a

result the societal structure in

southern states like Virginia were more

hierarchical and less centered around

religion compared to the Puritan North

then things started to change you see

while the original Puritan settlers were

this very religious Bunch As Time passed

the second and third generations of

settlers who were born in the new world

didn't always share the same intensity

of religious conviction or the sense of

urgency that drove their ancestors some

even started to become disinterested in

it for all the adherence it required and

as the colony began to develop more

economic Prosperity started to take

precedence over religious matters for

many people the once religiously unified

Society also started to see a migration

of people with different backgrounds and

beliefs over time diluting the Puritan

influence and their ability to enforce

religious Conformity it was these things

that led to the rise of secularism in

New England now you may be thinking

wouldn't the South be affected by these

things too and you'd be right it did but

ironically being less religiously

intense actually helped preserve

Christianity there let me

explain because the South was less

homogeneously religious it meant that

over time evolved a form of Christianity

that was more intertwined with everyday

life and less rigid than Purim allowing

for a more flexible adaptation of

religious practices to changing social

conditions this helped sustain its

influence leading religion in the South

to become a part of the cultural

identity Beyond just theological

obedience along with this there was also

a geographical Factor at play while both

regions started off with agriculture as

the main business the geography and

climate of New England is less conducive

to large scale agriculture than those of

the South New England has rocky soil a

relatively rugged terrain and a shorter

growing season making largescale farming

more challenging in contrast the South

has more fertile soil and a longer

growing season which supports large

plantations this meant that New

England's economy Diversified early on

fishing ship building and trade were

significant economic activities

alongside farming the Region's abundant

water power from its rivers was also a

key factor in its early

industrialization New England became a

center for manufacturing with Industries

like textiles and clock making growing

rapidly from the end of the 18th century

and this industrial growth spurred Urban

Development as people moved to cities

for factory jobs so while the South did

care about their economy obviously they

were and have been able to maintain a

more agricultural Focus having been

initially based on cash crops like

tobacco cotton and rice which relied

heavily on slave labor cheap slave labor

on vast tracks of land owned by the pl

and this agricultural Focus created a

much different economic trajectory

compared to the North's

industrialization with their starting

much later particularly after the Civil

War obviously the impact on religion of

this was also key the more Rural and

agricultural nature of much of the South

for a longer period helped maintain a

traditional Community centered way of

life where the church played a

significant role whereas the

industrialization and hence urbanization

of the north led to the growth of public

education which often led to increased

exposure to diverse viewpoints and a

greater emphasis on secularism now I

realized I basically just time jumped

from the beginning and development of

these 13 colonies to the end of the

Civil War but it was also everything

that happened between these two time

periods that heavily contributed to

making the US South much more religious

than the North simply put the Great

Awakening a series of religious Rivals

now like I said before the South was

affected by the same things as the north

just to a lesser degree due to the

reasons mentioned above so religion

wasn't in a great place across all the

colonies a lot of this was due to the

rise of the Age of Enlightenment an

intellectual and philosophical movement

that occurred in Europe from the end of

the 17th century Enlightenment thinkers

wanted to improve human conditions on

Earth rather than concern themselves

with religion and the afterlife these

thinkers valued reason science religious

freedom and what they called natural

rights life liberty and property

naturally the enlightenment movement

made its way across the Atlantic too to

the Third 13 colonies in many ways

religion was becoming more formal and

less personal during this time which led

to lower Church attendance churches

couldn't keep up with population growth

Christians were feeling complacent with

their methods of worship and some were

disillusioned with how wealth and

rationalism were dominating culture the

colonies were still deeply religiously

divided at this point too with the

Puritans in the north the anglicans in

the South and the middle colonies

basically a mix of everything from

Quakers to lutherans to Baptists to

Presbyterians and a few other

denominations too this all set the stage

for the first Great Awakening starting

from 1730 to

1755 though some placed the beginning of

it as early as 1720 and even the end of

it as

1770 in response to these Trends

ministers influenced by New England

puritanism Scots Irish presbyterianism

and European pism began calling for a

Revival of religion and piety the

blending of these three Traditions would

produce an Evangelical protestantism

that placed greater importance on quote

seasons of Revival or outpourings of the

Holy Spirit and on converted Sinners

experiencing God's love personally this

movement sweeping across the colonies

marked a stark departure from the more

reserved religious practices of the past

and it was brought to the Forefront by

passionate preachers like George

Whitefield and Jonathan Edwards George

Whitefield an English Minister traversed

the colonies captivating immense crowds

with his powerful and emotional sermons

he had a unique ability to connect with

his a audience on a deeply personal

level often moving them to tears or

Spiritual Awakening similarly Jonathan

Edwards a preacher from New England made

a long-lasting influential impact with

his sermon sinners in the hands of an

Angry God emphasizing God's wrath upon

Believers after death to a very real

horrific and fiery hell Edward's methods

of preaching was characterized by vivid

imagery and a passionate delivery that

appealed directly to the emotions and

fears of his listeners this period of

revivalism driven by such charismatic

preaching was not just about religious

teachings it was an emotional experience

that deeply resonated with the masses

many sources from this time report

people falling into transes being struck

down to the ground or crying

uncontrollably and even though this was

at the time during slavery and extreme

racism these preachers made sure to

preach to anyone who would listen

breaking the traditional barriers of

class and race in religious practice and

of course spreading their religion

widely however this shift towards

emotive spirituality was controversial

leading to significant divisions within

the religious communities The Awakening

gave rise to two distinct groups the old

lights and the new lights and yes this

all relates to the modern day divide but

basically the old lights made up of the

Puritans Baptists and Presbyterians

rejected the Revival movement saying it

wasn't true religion but rather just a

theatrical experience meaning the new

lights embraced this revivalist movement

they viewed the emotional experiences

and passionate preaching as genu genuine

manifestations of divine power and a

necessary Revival of true Christian

faith as you might have guessed by now

in the north the old light was strong

enough to largely maintain their hold

meanwhile in the South the new light AKA

evangelic ISM took off like

wildfire the Baptist and Methodist

churches became dominant here in these

churches there was less Reliance on

religious Authority all the way through

while the old light churches thought

that extensive education was necessary

to interpret the Bible correctly the new

light ones were more inclined to say

that its meaning could be understood by

anyone if you were a farmer back then

and felt called to preach and could

gather a congregation then you're

already a minister so there were a lot

more Baptist preachers than any other

denomination and the south at this time

was very rural so this idea appealed

strongly to people who might not have

regular access to a church this combined

with the inclusive message of offering

salvation to all regardless of social

status and race resonated deeply in the

hierarchical Society of the South these

denominations grew rapidly in the South

establishing a strong Evangelical

presence more fully into the daily lives

and identities of people across

different social classes in the north

even with the rejection of the movement

its emphasis on personal experience and

questioning of authority in religious

matters laid early influence for

individualism and a questioning attitude

in the north which combined with the

Region's focus on education and commerce

gradually led to a more secular society

that was just the first Great Awakening

too there was still two arguably three

more after

[Music]

this by the time the Second Great

Awakening started which was in about

1795 the United States had already

officially become an independent country

the beginning of the industrial

revolution had also very recently

started in the US and the Age of

Enlightenment even though it had started

decades ago was only reaching its peak

around this time so these two things

combined to mark an increase in

secularism and focus on the Contemporary

world and science while the first Great

Awakening focused more on existing

members of the church the second focused

on attracting new members so to

re-engage worshippers and attract new

members Evangelical denominations again

began to hold active energetic tent

revivals where Faith was renewed the

earliest of the tent revivals focused on

the Appalachian Frontier but they

quickly moved into the area of the

original colonies these weren't small

Revival meetings either thousands would

meet up at a time Revival meetings were

not restricted to the frontier or to

white people though in many areas

particularly the South black people had

separate revivals at the time the

Baptist and methodists often work

together in these revivals with both

religions believing in Free Will with

personal Redemption the Baptists were

highly decentralized with no

hierarchical structure in place and

preachers lived and worked among their

congregation while the methodists on the

other hand had more of an internal

structure in place they had people

traveling on Horseback all over

converting people to the method

Methodist faith and it paid off by the

1840s the methodists were the largest

Protestant group in America just to put

all these efforts into perspective they

grew from 58,000 members in 1790 to

258,000 in 1820 and then to

1,661 th000 by

1860 this growth factor of over 28 times

in 70 years outpaced the national

population growth which increased by a

factor of just eight during the same

period

[Music]

the most significant revivalist in this

area was the Presbyterian Minister

Charles Finny the key change he made was

in promoting Mass conversions during

Revival meetings no longer were

individuals converting alone instead

they were joined by neighbors converting

on mass in 1839 alone fny preached in

Rochester New York and made an estimated

100,000

converts but the Second Great Awakening

ended in 1840 due to the Deep culture of

slavery in the South leading to the

division of northern versus Southern

religious sects during the 1830s and

1840s in fact in 1845 Southern Baptists

split from the National Baptist

denomination in the US and established

the pro-slavery Southern Baptist

convention as they interpreted the Bible

as supporting slavery in technicality

the third Great Awakening actually

started from 1855 with the Civil War

happening not much after this from 1861

to 1865 and the eventual movement ending

in the 1930s it was also so near the end

of this movement when the term Bible

Belt started to be used in media this

Great Awakening didn't really have a

profound impact on the growth of

Christianity in the South and the

decline of it in the north as the first

two it was marked by a more promotion of

social activism this was seen for

example with the founding of the

Salvation Army the rise of the YMCA

don't get me wrong though it was still

growing rapidly during this time in the

South especially many intellectuals of

that era took part in the movement and

were strong Advocates of Christianity

they tried to to systematically reach

the parts of the country where there

were no churches and spread their

religion some of these intellectuals and

Scholars started building schools and

universities that were closely tied to

Christianity which of course has had a

lasting influence over a century later

as a result the Protestant churches in

the United States were growing at

extreme speeds during this period though

like everything else it was met with an

opposite force that was just as powerful

the rise of scientific thought

particularly the theory of evolution and

higher criticism of the Bible began to

challenge the traditional religious

beliefs that supported the Awakening

with a further rise in industrialization

and urbanization everywhere especially

in the south after the Civil War and a

whole world war a couple decades after

that the priorities of religion became

slightly more on the back burner this

shift towards modernism and critical

approach to religious texts gradually

eroded the foundation of the third

revivalist movement so at this point in

the timeline there's been three great

Awakenings which created and heavily

promoted evangelic ISM everywhere

especially in the south and we're not

done yet

[Music]

arguably while the concept of a fourth

Great Awakening is heavily debated among

historians based on if it had an impact

equivalent to the first three to Warrant

the same title what it certainly did do

was cement the South as the region of

the very religious people in the US

having started in the beginning of the

1960s till 1980 this timeline lined up

with the growth of the r and television

which when used for religious

broadcasting and evangelism played a

significant role in spreading religious

messages and connecting Believers

there's even a word for it televangelism

keep in mind that farming in the South

remained independent far longer than it

did for the rest of the country so small

isolated communities got their hands on

radios and were connected to a much

larger world within a single generation

of early rural radio you see the rise of

someone like Billy Graham who is now

seen as the Evangelist of the 20th

century and arguably the direct link

between the controversial fourth Great

Awakening to the present day being part

of the Southern Baptists he is a big

reason it's now the world's largest

Baptist denomination and the largest

Protestant and second largest Christian

denomination in America in the Bible

Belt Graham's evangelist Crusades

reinforced and revitalized Evangelical

Christian beliefs his large-scale events

and dynamic preaching style focusing on

a personal relationship with God

resonated deeply with the Region's

religious culture his Crusades through

mass media reached Millions increasing

the visibility and appeal of evangelic

ism this heightened interest laid the

groundwork for the growth of large

Evangelical churches the mainline

Protestant churches weakened sharply in

both membership and influence while the

most conservative religious

denominations like the southern Baptists

grew rapidly in numbers and spread

across the United States soon with so

many members mega churches came to be

and they won attention for the simple

reason that 10 churches with 2,000

members were more visible than 100

churches with 200 members so now we go

to the modern day both Jimmy Carter and

Bill Clinton the most southern recent US

presidents were raised in the Southern

Baptist Church in States like Alabama

and Mississippi 51% and 49% of adults

attend religious services at least once

a week this contrasts sharply with

states in the North like Maine and

Vermont where figures are 22% and 21% as

well as States in literally any other

region like Oregon in the west at 29%

and North Dakota in the midwest at 33%

however there's more hidden factors at

play here that I haven't explained yet

because the north industrialized faster

and really didn't have to rely on

agriculture as much they are richer

regions in fact every region in America

is richer than the South just look at

this map of the poorest states of 2022

you'll see it generally mirrors the

Bible Belt and while this may be because

of a variety of things such as voluntary

poverty lack of Education or lack of

opportunities they are directly related

but the thing is just like how

Christianity has been on decline in the

north for a long time now it's in the

entire us as a whole and yes that

includes the Bible Belt Christianity the

largest religion in the United States

experienced a 20th Century High of 91%

of the total population in

1976 this declined to

73.7% by 2016 and 64% in 2022 ironically

the southern baptist churches which if

you remember weren't popular in the

north are declining in every region

besides New England that's right it is

literally the only region in the US

where South Baptist Churches grew

overall Christianity has been in decline

in the US for a number of reasons with

some of them actually mirroring the same

reasons that ended the Great Awakenings

such as a rise of rationalism and

science but also because of new factors

like America becoming more Multicultural

and religion starting to get mixed more

intensely with politics which has

disillusioned many people especially the

younger Generations an increasing number

of Americans now identify as religiously

unaffiliated often referred to as nuns

and no not those nuns this group

includes atheists agnostics and those

who describe their religion as nothing

in particular the rise of the nuns

reflects a broader trend of

disengagement from organized religion so

I guess the question is with America's

Christian population set to dip below

50% by 2070 making it no longer the

majority religion for the first time

ever in the country's Short history is

there anything they can do to stop this

it's not just a North or South problem

but a Countrywide one or dare I say is

it even a problem at all thank you for

watching