>> More than a quarter of Americans now claim no religious affiliation. That group now comprises the largest bloc of Americans and follows decades of declining attendance of white Christians, black protestants, and Jews. There has also been a growing political divide in some communities. ♪♪ >> Across America,, each week, a familiar sound. Christians of different denominations gathering to saying, worship, and fine community. Yet in a growing number of places in the country away from major cities, that sound has been growing softer. In some like this church in southern Illinois, it will soon grow quiet altogether. >> I have done a handful of baptisms while I have been pastor here. We are not offsetting the losses at this point. Once you get to a certain point, it is impossible to pull out of the nosedive. We have been a bunch of birthdays. >> For more than 17 years, he has been the pastor of this church. One of the many mainline protestant denominations that once dominated the nation's cities, towns, and country sides. Since 1972, even as the country's population has grown over 60%. The portion of white Americans attending churches like like the sword finance Christian has fallen precipitously. This church will close for good in July. >> Religion is not a central part of life for a lot of people. We were above 40%. Catholics, 50%. Now it is 20%. We are seeing a decline in a most every religious tradition. >> In addition to being a pastor, he is also a political scientist, teaching at eastern Illinois university, where he studies the intersection of faith, politics, and the data behind it. Describing these broad trends in a book. About the growing share of Americans who identify as atheists, agnostics, or nothing in particular. >> 90% of Americans identified as Christians in 1972. Now it is below half. We are facing a different religious landscape today than we did 30 years ago. >> What is your best understanding of what is happening? Why fewer and fewer Americans are feeling some connection with a church or a faith? >> I think a lot of it is Americans are anti-institutional. We do not trust anything today is much as we trusted it 40 years ago. Whether it is banks or unions or the media or religion. They are announcing the value that religion plays in people's lives. This is what I push back on the most, that religion is only about belief. Religion is also a social enterprise. You come and sit next to people who are different than you. You learn how to volunteer and raise funds. And you learn that other people are good people. >> Just a few miles away, some volunteers are helping the needy at this once a month food pantry. Where they provide free food, clothing, and help with expenses. The population of Jefferson county is shrieking as it -- shrinking as it ages. In the year 2000, 50 4% voted for George W. Bush. Nearly 72% in favor of president trump in 2020. Volunteers hear from across local denominations. This outreach is organized by another mainline denomination and steep climb -- decline. The united methodist church has fallen to half of its population today. They lost about a quarter of their churches over issues with same-sex marriage and lgbtq clergy. >> The lords table is where the distinctions between people are erased. >> On a recent Sunday morning, the pews were mostly full. A full choir led the congregation. A decade ago, they moved from northern Illinois. The first church they join closed. Another did not align with their views on supporting border migrants. >> When I was on the church council and I heard the church leaders on the council being very unhappy about us helping migrants and that the bishop was a terrible person for trying to keep people safe, that truly troubled me. I was not as interested in being a part of that. >> Now they drive 45 minutes each way. To saying in the choir and worship at first united methodist. >> It is the best 45 minute drive that I have on a regular basis because I feel uplifted when I go to church. I cannot say that has been true at the other churches I have been to. >> Recognizing that politics was now a part of the church, how did that make you feel? >> I think politics has invaded schools and health care and just about every aspect of our lives. So I should not be surprised that it is invading in the church. Did it make me feel uncomfortable? Absolutely. ♪♪ >> Singing alongside them is a man who was drawn to this church by its music. Then by its message. >> The lord's table is the place where every orientation can discover and receive the gift of god's life-giving grace. >> It honestly rocks my world that there are people who are Christian who are actually open-minded. >> He lives in mount Vernon with his husband. He was raised southern Baptist. He felt increasingly uncomfortable with that branch as he aged. Especially as he heard things from the pastor that conflicted with his realization that he was transgender. >> One of the examples was he was going on a tangent about caltrns rights was all bad -- how trans rights was all bad. He said the civil-rights movement was a mistake because now we have a gay-rights movement. >> You are hearing that and what were you thinking? >> I have been taught that if you see things going wrong, you stay there and try to fix them. That is what I was trying to do for years and years in that church. Then I got to the point where there was no way I could fix those. There is no way me sticking around will be helping this. >> It is like we have become a safe haven for refugees. >> He leads this congregation. His motto is open minds, open hearts, open doors. >> The church as come from armed -- are rigid and narrow. They are looking for a safe place where they are not told what to believe. Where they have the freedom to ask questions and room to grow in their faith. >> He delivered a sermon on the importance of unity. >> The lord's table is a place where Democrats can kneel alongside Republicans. ? Where you going to see that? >> I felt like it was the right time for people to be reminded of that. We come together as one and we receive the bread and the wine. >> What has made this the right time? >> All the other voices that get airtime in the church, who is right and who is wrong, people need to hear that Christ calls the church to unity. Despite our differences. >> He says his congregation includes Republicans, Democrats, and everything in between. That is becoming increasingly rare. >> We always thought that religion was the first thing in politics was downstream of that. I looked at the bible. Now things have changed data says we take our religion based off of our politics. If I'm a Republican, I'm going to seek out a congregation that affirms my views and tells me what I want to hear. That is why a lot of people have left religion. Even today among liberals, 50% of them are not religious. We are seeing more people say, I cannot do that. >> In our next story, we will visit an evangelical church in Tennessee that has lean heavily into politics. But they are now having second thoughts. ♪♪
