In the January 3 gospel for Epiphany, King Herod is greatly troubled by news of an approaching birth that he finds threatening. Christian religious leaders have cause to be troubled by news from an extensive survey showing that the Christian share of the U.S. population is declining rapidly while the number of adults who do not identify with any organized religion is growing. While the drop in Christian affiliation is particularly pronounced among young adults, it is occurring among Americans of all ages. The same trends are seen among whites, blacks, and Latinos; among both college graduates and adults with only a high-school education; and among women as well as men, the Pew Research Center reported earlier this year.

Homily hint: We can read the poll results with dismay or we can choose to take them as a challenge to present the life-changing gospel in new ways and new places. Pope Francis challenges church-going Catholics to take their faith to the people, not wait for the people to show up at the churches. Let this be at the top of our New Year’s resolutions!

For more on the Pew Center study, see: America’s Changing Religious Landscape