Is Christianity a "Luxury" Religion?
Breakpoint
Colson Center
4.8 • 2.8K Ratings
🗓️ 24 July 2023
⏱️ 1 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
Recent research from political scientist Ryan Burge indicates that, at least in the United States, the Christian faith is found primarily among the educated and wealthy. Americans most likely to regularly attend church hold graduate degrees and have an average annual income of $60,000-$100,000.
Does this mean Christianity is a "luxury religion?"
Not exactly. According to marriage experts John Van Epp and J.P. DeGance, "one's economic future is greatly impacted by the relationship choices one makes, specifically in the areas of marriage and parenting." So, for example, for people whose values include having children after marriage (and not before), the likeliness of being in the "middle- or top-income tier" brackets more than doubles despite their background.
This reinforces, again, that God's design of marriage and family is built into the created order and, when followed, leads to economic, social, and spiritual flourishing.
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Transcript
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| 0:00.0 | With a woman to look at culture from a Christian worldview, I'm John Stone Street with the point. |
| 0:04.5 | Recent research from Ryan Burge indicates that, at least in the US, the Christian faith |
| 0:08.6 | found primarily among the educated and the wealthy. |
| 0:11.7 | Americans who are most likely to attend church regularly are those who hold graduate degrees |
| 0:16.2 | and have an average income of about $60 to $100,000 a year. |
| 0:19.9 | Now does this mean Christianity has become a religion of luxury? |
| 0:23.4 | Not exactly. |
| 0:24.4 | According to marriage experts, John Van App and J.P. DeGance, one's economic future is greatly |
| 0:29.1 | impacted by the relationship choices that one makes, specifically in the areas of marriage |
| 0:33.8 | and parents. |
| 0:34.8 | So, for example, for people whose values include having children, after marriage, not before, |
| 0:39.8 | the likeness of being in the middle or top-tier income brackets, more than doubles, despite |
| 0:44.9 | their background. |
| 0:45.9 | This reinforces yet again that God's design for marriage and family is actually built |
| 0:50.4 | into the created order, and when it's followed, leads to economic, social, and spiritual flourishing. |
| 0:55.8 | For the Colson Center, I'm John Stone Street. |
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