HomeCommentaryAsk An Atheist: Why is the Pacific Northwest such an unchurched area?
CommentaryAsk

Ask An Atheist: Why is the Pacific Northwest such an unchurched area?

By: Jim Downard

Date:

Related stories

Commentary

God’s gender isn’t male, female or even binary — so why are we?

The Rev. Elizabeth Stevens argues that Christianity and other faiths support gender diversity beyond modern, male, female and binary identities.
Commentary

Dancing with Hannah, Raven and the Trinity: Finding faith in movement

A columnist reflects on Parkinson’s dance classes, the Raven creation story and how Trinity Sunday shows Christianity’s invitation to join the dance of life.
Commentary

I found strength in a simple one-word prayer 

A columnist shares his experience with prayer, clinical depression, recovery and how a simple one-word prayer helped him find comfort and hope.

Our Sponsors

Reading Time: < 1 minute

What do you want to Ask an Atheist? Submit your questions online or fill out the form below.

By Jim Downard 

Why do you think the Pacific Northwest is such an ‘unchurched’ area?

SPO_House-ad_Ask-an-atheist_0425133It doesn’t seem on account of any shortage of churches.  In fact, Seattle has the most churches per capita in the country, and its hard to walk too many blocks in this town without bumping into some tabernacle or other.

Nonetheless, Washington and Oregon certainly rank among the least church-attending of states.  One cannot help but suspect that their very availability means people have more than enough opportunity to discover on their own whether such institutions meet with their philosophy and interests, and overall the answer would seem to be No.

Jim Downard
Jim Downard
Jim Downard is a Spokane native (with a sojourn in Southern California back in the early 1960s) who was raised in a secular family, so says had no personal faith to lose. He's always been a history and science buff (getting a bachelor's in the former area at what was then Eastern Washington University in the early 1970s).
Previous article
When Pacifism Doesn’t Work
Next article
Acknowledging the impossible expectations of our candidates

1 COMMENT

0 0 votes
Article Rating
Subscribe
Notify of
guest
1 Comment
Oldest
Newest Most Voted
PNW
PNW
9 years ago

Some of us worship the beauty of our environment and our planet and our multi-verses!

0
Reply