How TCU worships

The number of Americans who are connected to religous groups has declined this century, but that hasn't deterred TCU students from building faith communities.

“Two decades ago, an average of 42% of U.S. adults attended religious services every week or nearly every week,” according to Gallup. “A decade ago, the figure fell to 38%, and it's currently at 30%.”

Those studying the decline say many Americans are not religious at all. 

Catholics have seen a large decrease in attendance. So have the Orthodox and Hindu faiths.

Two groups – Muslims and Jewish Americans — have seen a slim increase in attendance over the past 20 years.

“On any given weekend, about three in 10 U.S. adults attend religious services, down from 42% two decades ago,” according to Gallup. “Church attendance will likely continue to decline in the future given younger Americans’ weaker attachment to religion.”

Politicization of religion and its issues

Rev. Russ Peterman, Senior Pastor at University Christian church in Fort Worth, talked about how the politicization of religion has impacted a declining youth rate that identifies with a specific denomination.

“In the last 20-30 years, I believe a huge part of the decline has been the politicization of religion," Peterman said. "The religious right has co-opted what it means to be Christian, and it’s not really the true meaning of Christianity."

There is a divide by political party in terms of religious identification that has shifted over the past 25 years. In 1999, the Gallup poll illustrated that 60% of democrat voters were religious and held religious beliefs, and that number in 2023 was measured at 37%. When polled, 62% of Republicans were religious in 1999, and in 2023 was 61%.

The controversial issues of the legality of homosexual marriage and abortion have been divisive politically and caused tension within denominations, Peterman said.

“The issue of gay marriage is where we have seen churches in the same denomination take different stances, most recently with the Methodist church splitting up over this issue," Peterman said. "At University Christian Church, we label ourselves as an open table and try to be not a red or blue church, but a purple church, where we’re open to engaging in dialogue on these topics with inclusive rhetoric."

Deacon Kevin Bagley, a deacon with St. Andrew Catholic Church, said that the issue of abortion is where he’s seen people leave the Catholic faith.

“Abortion is a hot-button issue and within the Catholic Church, we stand firm on protecting life in its forms," Bagley said. "The challenge is that there is grey area like rape or incest, but it’s important we note that there are many great people who have come from a rape or incest pregnancy. We can’t judge the child based on the act, and we have to respect life. It’s an issue where we have to have discourse on."

Bagley noted that from the time of the sexual revolution of the 1960s to the present day brought a platform for different views on sexual behavior that has contributed to the shift.

“The sexual revolution of the 60s brought people into the church with outlying views on sexuality and the sanctity of life, and the issue has grown to become more divisive,” Bagley said.

In the early 1960s, pre-sexual revolution, 93% of Americans were Christian, while today only 44% are religious.

COVID and individualization

Alison Fitzgerald and Austin Schmidt, youth ministers at University Christian Church, attribute this decline in youth participating in a specific denomination within society and TCU to a shift in culture that exponentially grew post-COVID.

“Society over time has become more individualistic and the reigns put on individuals that are around the teenage group to early 20s that when they get to college there is a world of information and different viewpoints at their disposal," Fitzgerald said. "This was magnified during the pandemic when that weekly worship was taken away from people, people had a decision to make about how much of a part of their life religion and worship was going to be."

Findings from a Pew research study showed that only 6% of people ages 18-29 attend church more frequently than they did pre-pandemic.

How this affects TCU

There is a correlation between religious identification and practice between national statistics and the TCU student body. Much like the declining rate of youth nationally, TCU as an institution had a student body where almost 70% of the student body identified with a specific denomination. In 2024, roughly only 25% of students identified with a specific religion.

Peterman said he believes that while TCU aspired over the past 20-30 years to grow into a global university, there was an effort to downplay the importance of TCU’s religious identity.

“Over the last 20 to 30 years, there’s been a calculated decision made by the administration to move away from a religious identity while expanding the university into a global institution," Peterman said. "We can look toward Michael Ferrari being the first Chancellor who was a non-disciples member or things like the emphasis on having world-class athletic programs. It’s not necessarily a bad move by the school, but it was calculated."

TCU has made efforts to hold onto its religious identity through its accepting funding from the Disciples of Christ Church and its support of the Disciples, it’s also made decisions to remove words like "Christian principles" and "God" from its mission statement.

TCU Muslim Student Association is an intimate group that hosts events on campus and collaborates with the Fort Worth community.

MSA is present on college campuses all over the world and aims to support Muslim students by bringing them together and providing a space where they can practice their faith. 

“To expand our reach through the Fort Worth community we collaborate with the local mosque, participate in community service projects or host events,” Sara Sharif, a junior neuroscience major, said. “Social media platforms and collaboration with other MSA’s also help broaden our audience and encourage engagement beyond campus.”

Their preferred form of social media is Instagram. 

MSA has about 35 active members who regularly attend their events. While the majority of their members are Muslim, students that are not Muslim still participate. Particularly during their Ramadan events, Christian and Hindu students will partake in the festivities. 

“We have weekly lectures every Friday given by one of our own Islamic scholars where we pray together,” Ferdous Isak, a junior biology major, said. “Besides that, we have events every two weeks where we mainly socialize with each other.”

MSA has not grown much in size over the years but they have grown in impact and outreach. 

“Our social activities such as picnics and game nights allow us to portray the communal aspect of Islam, and show those who are unfamiliar with Islam that we are not entirely different,” Sammy Asaad, a senior biology major, said. 

TCU Hillel may seem like a small group with just 18 members, but they have built a strong community and have grown tremendously in the past year. 

TCU Hillel is a Jewish organization on campus that is associated with Hillel, an international Jewish student organization. According to their website, over 180,000 college students participate in Hillel. 

“Last year we had about six or eight active members but this year we have about 18,” Gabby Sandberg, a junior finance major, said. “We have seen this growth because we have a new faculty adviser and because we invest more in new students and building relationships with them.” 

The group meets three to four times a month. Some of these events include a Shabbat, dinners, religious events and executive board meetings. 

They post on their Instagram every month to inform students of upcoming events. 

“We attract more students through networking and reaching out to Jewish students,” Lily May Holland, a sophomore child development major, said. “Myself and other members will reach out to freshmen or people we know are Jewish and take them out to coffee or lunch to talk about the opportunities they have through Hillel.”

Holland says she thinks that TCU Hillel has almost three times as many members as last year because of the relationships that returning members have built with newcomers. 

Hillel wants to build a community that uplifts Jewish students and makes them feel supported. 

“We create an inclusive environment by being there for all Jewish students,” Holland said. “It is so special to be a part of such a small Jewish group that I know I can always come back to.”