News

Go Figure

Get the numbers on homeschoolers, church conflict, and religion’s influence.

850,000   Students ages 5–17 homeschooled in 1999.

1.5 million   Students ages 5–17 who are homeschooled today.

83%   Homeschooling parents who do so for religious or moral instruction.

(Source: National Center for Education Statistics)

26%   Churches that said they have experienced a conflict within the last two years that led some people to leave.

27%   Churches that said this in 1998.

5   Decrease in median congregation size (75 people) since 1998.

(Source: National Congregations Study)

67%   Americans who say religion is losing its influence on American life.

50%   Americans who said this in April 2005.

24%   Americans who said this in December 2001.

(Source: Gallup Poll)

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Related Elsewhere:

See our earlier Go Figure postings from February 2009, January 2009, December 2008, November 2008, October 2008, September 2008, August 2008, July 2008, June 2008, May 2008, April 2008, March 2008, February 2008, January 2008, December 2007, November 2007, October 2007, September 2007, and earlier issues.

Also in this issue

The CT archives are a rich treasure of biblical wisdom and insight from our past. Some things we would say differently today, and some stances we've changed. But overall, we're amazed at how relevant so much of this content is. We trust that you'll find it a helpful resource.

Cover Story

The Depression Epidemic

Dan G. Blazer

Editorial

Year of the Study Bible

A Christianity Today Editorial

Books Uncommon and Offbeat

John Wilson, editor of 'Books and Culture'

Review

Looking Evil in the Face

Matthew Nickoloff

Hiding What They Seek

Review

Hints of the Trinity

Josh Hurst

News

Making the Local Church a Hero

My Top 5 Resources for Lent

Standing with the Desolate

Ziya Meral

News

Devilish and Divine

Mark Moring

Review

Knowing Your Place

Bill McKibben

The Other Side of Church Growth

News

IrishWatch

Derek (O')Keefe

Staring into the Abyss

The Great Passing On

Editorial

Reducing Abortion for Real

A Christianity Today Editorial

News

Long Live the Law

News

The Radical Conservative

News

Praying for 'Our Daily Bread'

Compiled by Richard A. Kauffman

Connecting to Hope

Interview by Derek R. Keefe

When You're Depressed

Mark R. McMinn

My Life with Antidepressants

Joel Scandrett

Light When All Is Dark

Kathryn Greene-McCreight

News

A Dream That Won't Die

News

News Briefs: March 01, 2009

Compiled by CT Staff

Readers Write

News

You've Got Jail

Susan Wunderink

News

Passages

Compiled by CT Staff

News

Conscience Clashes

Ken Walker

News

Quieter Killings

Sarah Pulliam

News

Saving Souls for Less

Bobby Ross Jr.

News

Capital Closures in Myanmar

Compass Direct News

News

Quotation Marks

News

God in Gaza

View issue

Our Latest

The Complicated Legacy of Jesse Jackson

Six Christian leaders reflect on the civil rights giant’s triumphs and tragedies.

News

The Churches That Fought for Due Process

An Ecuadorian immigrant with legal status fell into a detention “black hole.” Church leaders across the country tried to pull him out.

The Bulletin

AI Predictions, Climate Policy Rollback, and Obama’s Belief in Aliens

Mike Cosper, Clarissa Moll, Russell Moore

The future of artificial intelligence, Trump repeals landmark climate finding, and the existence of aliens.

Troubling Moral Issues in 1973

CT condemned the Supreme Court ruling in Roe v. Wade and questioned the seriousness of Watergate.

Ben Sasse and a Dying Breed of Politician

The former senator is battling cancer. Losing him would be one more sign that a certain kind of conservatism—and a certain kind of politics—is disappearing.

Died: Ron Kenoly, ‘Ancient of Days’ Singer and Worship Leader

Kenoly fused global sounds with contemporary worship music, inspiring decades of praise.

Review

MercyMe Holds On to a Hit in ‘I Can Only Imagine 2’

The contemporary Christian film sequel explores life after writing a megahit, asking whether hardship can bear good fruit.

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