The Lenten Season: How Many Americans Participate?
As the Lenten season commences with Ash Wednesday, a distinct religious observance, many might wonder just how many Americans will participate in this tradition of self-denial and reflection. Although Lent traditionally involves abstaining from certain pleasures for 40 days, a significant portion of the population chooses not to partake.
Recent research conducted by Lifeway Resources indicates that 74% of Americans are not expected to observe Lent this year. This report reveals that only 26% of respondents plan to engage in the Lenten practices.
Catholics, perhaps unsurprisingly, are among the most likely to observe Lent, with 58% indicating their participation. Among Hispanic respondents, 36% plan to partake in Lenten traditions. In contrast, those who “rarely or never attend a religious service” are the least likely to observe Lent, with 89% not participating.
Lifeway Executive Director Scott McConnell commented on the motivations behind Lenten observance, noting that non-religious individuals generally have “little incentive to follow His example of fasting in the wilderness for 40 days.” However, he also pointed out that nothing stops non-Christians from participating in Lent, much like other cultural trends such as Dry January or No Shave November.
For those who do observe Lent, various methods of self-denial are favored. Half of the respondents said they choose to “fast from a favorite food or beverage,” while 37% opt to “fast from a bad habit.” Additionally, 34% plan to “pray more,” 25% will “fast from a favorite activity,” and 22% intend to “read Lenten Bible verses or devotions.”
McConnell further explained the significance of fasting within the Christian tradition: “Fasting is on the Christian liturgical calendar not unlike the Jewish Yom Kippur and Muslim Ramadan,” he said. “In Christianity, self-denial does not earn someone heavenly favor but redirects the believer’s thoughts and priorities toward the one they proclaim as their Lord, Jesus Christ.”
The data for this report was gathered from a survey of 1,200 Americans conducted between August 14-30, 2024. The findings have a sampling error of +/- 3.3% at a 95% confidence level.
Interestingly, these results closely mirror a 2016 survey by Lifeway, which found that 24% observed Lent, with 76% not participating. At that time, 61% of Catholics observed Lent, compared to 28% of Evangelicals and 20% of Protestants.
Lent serves as a period of preparation for Easter Sunday, taking inspiration from Jesus’ 40-day fast in the wilderness, as depicted in Matthew 4:1-11.
This article was originally written by www.christianpost.com
