Newsletter December 1, 2022

Aging Churches and the Enduring Opposition to Same-Sex Marriage

Daniel A. Cox

Grey haired woman singling hymn in pew sitting down in front of wood paneled wall and other congregants.

As religious congregations age, are they being left behind?

After the Supreme Court legalized same-sex marriage in 2015 I think a lot of people (myself included) thought the issue was settled. Public support has never been higher. More than seven in ten (71 percent) Americans favor allowing gay and lesbian couples to marry according to Gallup’s most recent polling. And most Americans see this as a sign of progress. Six in ten (61 percent) Americans say the legalization of same-sex marriage has been good for society. Young adults are even more supportive. Three-quarters of young adults say this has been a positive development for American society, including more than half who say it has been “very good.”

Yet, despite its popularity, there remains a strong undercurrent of organized opposition to same-sex marriage in American churches. Only 40 percent of Americans who attend religious services at least once a week favor it. Most of those regular worshippers do not.

Continue Reading on American Storylines

Survey Reports

Daniel A. Cox, Jae Grace, Avery Shields
April 27, 2026

Strangers Next Door: The Decline of Neighborhood Socializing and the Class Divide in Belonging

Acknowledgment The American Enterprise Institute’s Survey Center on American Life is grateful to the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation for its generous support of this research. As Americans spend more of their time online, the neighborhood—once a primary physical location for real-world socialization—is playing less of a central role than ever before. Since

Daniel A. Cox, Kelsey Eyre Hammond
November 20, 2025

Individuality and Moral Behavior: A Generational Divide in Moral Judgments and Self-Expression

Younger and older Americans increasingly disagree on the morality of certain behaviors, reflecting deep shifts in views about individuality, self-expression, and the role of community and faith.

Daniel A. Cox
July 2, 2025

America’s Cultural Crossroads: Enduring Discontent, Rising Disconnection, and an Uncertain Future

A new survey from the Survey Center on American Life shows Americans are changing course on major cultural issues—from immigration and gay rights to gender roles and public trust.

Daniel A. Cox, Kelsey Eyre Hammond
January 29, 2025

Romantic Recession: How Politics, Pessimism, and Anxiety Shape American Courtship

A new report by the Survey Center on American life finds that safety concerns and declining trust are reshaping modern dating, leaving many singles feeling pessimistic about their prospects. Sharp gender divides in attitudes toward dating apps, trust, and relationships reveal how these challenges are redefining the search for connection.

Aging Churches and the Enduring Opposition to Same-Sex Marriage

Continue Reading on American Storylines

Survey Reports

Strangers Next Door: The Decline of Neighborhood Socializing and the Class Divide in Belonging

Individuality and Moral Behavior: A Generational Divide in Moral Judgments and Self-Expression

America’s Cultural Crossroads: Enduring Discontent, Rising Disconnection, and an Uncertain Future

Romantic Recession: How Politics, Pessimism, and Anxiety Shape American Courtship

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