Over recent decades, particularly the past ten years, the United States has undergone a wave of social change to become a more liberal and secular society. The vast majority of Americans (67%) say that the United States has become less religious over the past 25 years, and with recent victories on same-sex marriage and other issues social conservatives have faced a string of political defeats. These defeats and the apparent reality of an America where the 'majority' is no longer 'moral' are forcing social conservatives and religious leaders to reconsider their role in society. Conservative intellectual Rod Dreher has gained an increasingly large following in arguing for the 'Benedict Option', saying that in today's world Christians should withdraw from public activism and seek to preserve their morality by strengthening their ties and forming a robust Christian sub-culture.
YouGov's latest research shows that there is wide support among Americans for the idea of separating church and state, but many nevertheless believe that the country was intended to be a Christian one. 64% of Americans approve of the separation of church and state while only 22% disapprove. Even Americans who say that religious faith is 'very important' in their lives tend to support the separation of church and state by 48% to 36%.
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