In unsettled times, people of faith turn to prayer. This phenomenon can be seen in history, such as the number of revival meetings in Civil War army campsites. There are no atheists in foxholes, so the saying goes.

Given the constant bad news about violence and killings, it is not surprising that public statements about prayers for the victims and their families are also in the headlines. Prayer vigils seem to spring up spontaneously, especially on college campuses among young people.

Is this simply a visceral reaction to today’s most egregious violent acts, or is something else going on?

The trend for church attendance and formal religious affiliation has been steadily downward. A study by sociologists Ryan Burge and Paul Djup was published in 2023 under the title “The Great Dechurchin

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