Cafe Inquiry

This month's discussion topic: Religion's place in society.

The United States is considered one of the most religious of modern Western democracies. Almost two-thirds of the U.S. population is either Protestant or Catholic, and close to 90 percent of elected representatives are self-identified Christians. Further a majority of the U.S. indicates that religion or religious practice is "very important" in their daily lives. Religious organizations provide a significant portion of charity, medical care, and schooling in the United States.

However, the U.S. also has one of the longest formal histories of separation of church and state. The Bill of rights prohibits the U.S. government from establishing a state religion or prohibiting the free exercise of religion. Over time, the separation from the government has allowed minority religions (Christian and non-Christian) to become established in the U.S.

Over the last 30 - 50 years, the religiously unaffiliated have rapidly grown as a percentage of the U.S. population. One-fifth of Americans are now religiously unaffiliated. These trends are expected to continue for the foreseeable future, as the younger generations are noticeably and consistently less religious compared to older generations.

Given this, what role should be reserved for religions in the U.S. society? Should religions maintain their nonprofit status? Is it incumbent on elected representatives to keep their religious identities separate from their legislative identities (or even possible)? What protections be granted to religions and practices? Should moral exceptions, like nonviolence and pacifism for the military draft, be more commonly extended to individuals outside of pacifist traditions (like Quakers)? Is there a general dictum to help guide balancing religious and secular priorities in our society?