Christians cannot strategize and argue their way into renewed prominence

The decline of Christianity will be reversed by attraction. The heart moves first, and then the head follows it.

Church
(Image credit: (Mario Tama/Getty Images))

Christian conservatives are preparing for a big and long overdue rethink of their position in our culture, and in America's political life.

Although Pew regularly tells us that about 40 percent of Americans are regular attendees of church services, more accurate surveys show that the actual number is about half that. And it's not just conservatives who fear the wane. Religious liberals also worry about passing on their faith to the next generation.

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Michael Brendan Dougherty

Michael Brendan Dougherty is senior correspondent at TheWeek.com. He is the founder and editor of The Slurve, a newsletter about baseball. His work has appeared in The New York Times Magazine, ESPN Magazine, Slate and The American Conservative.