Religion in America

Earlier this year, the Pew Forum on Religion & Public life in America began releasing reports from the extensive U.S. Religious Landscape Survey. This is a treasure chest of research data, from which numerous gems of insight will be drawn (I trust) in the days ahead.  For instance, about 7 in 10 religiously affiliated Americans would "agree with the statement that many religions – not just their own – can lead to eternal life." The implication: Americans, while very religious, aren't very dogmatic. 

So what are the implications of this for witness? Does it mean people are generally open to consider other ideas? Or would you find most people settled in the own view, but not wanting to express a view that implies others are wrong? Is this the flowering of our tolerance? Or the fruit of pervasive relativism?  

How do we understand and grapple with such realities. Perhaps time will permit deeper explorations into the Pew findings in the days ahead...

But then again, it is a busy summer schedule. We'll see.