Nationally, religious disaffiliation slightly decreased since it’s peak in 2018. However, many reports and news articles describe the causes and impacts. A Northern Nazarene University professor in Nampa said, “Pro-Trump politics may clash with the values of younger members of the church,” and churchs’ and older members political stance on issues such as social justice and LGBTQ rights may cause younger people to worship elsewhere.
“They’re frustrated with the church, but at least in my arena, they’re not done with God,” Leclerc said, noting they may seek faith traditions that are more aligned with their social values.”
The 2020 Census of American Religion reports 29% of Kootenai County residents do not identify with any religion. How does CdA compare?
We sat down with four local pastors to gauge their experience and views on the topic. All of the pastors reported church growth. Paul Van Noy of Candlelight Christian Fellowship reports his congregation has swelled to nearly 1,800 members despite his interest and involvement in politics. President Tyler Morton of the Coeur d’Alene Stake of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints reported an increase of 1,000 members over the last five years. Check out our video to see the interviews.
