November 3, 2025
Public perception of religion turns upward for first time in years
‘Though this advent of renewed interest in spiritual matters may seem surprising to some, it is not to those of us who have been closely watching the latest trends in cultural engagement with spiritual matters’
CHARLOTTE, N.C. — A recent Pew Research article indicates there is a rising tide of Americans who are expressing a positive view of religion. From Feb. 2024 to Feb. 2025, there was a spike in the number of U.S. adults who said that religion is leveraging influence in American life. Fifty-nine percent of respondents identified the change in religion’s role in society as a positive development. “Overall, 68% of Americans thought that religion is losing influence in the U.S., while 31% reached the opposite conclusion,” The Christian Post reported.
Southern Evangelical Seminary (SES, www.ses.edu) President Judge Phil Ginn remarked on the findings of Pew’s research, noting that this awakening is a call for Christians to stand steadfast in the truth of their faith.
“While there was a substantial viewpoint expressed that ‘religion’s influence is declining,’ the study shows some strong correlation with those who believe that there is a renewed interest in spiritual matters, particularly in the demographic of Gen Z males,” said Ginn. “Though this advent of renewed interest in spiritual matters may seem surprising to some, it is not to those of us who have been closely watching the latest trends in cultural engagement with spiritual matters. If I am right in this regard, and I certainly hope and pray that I am, there is a window of opportunity that is at least slightly opened to the outreach of Christ’s church if we will only take hold of it. There are certainly a number of factors that could be involved with these new phenomena. Not the least of these is the expectation that today’s political atmosphere will offer, at least for now, a more favorable opportunity for a real-world Christian witness and for the promulgation of the gospel message — a paradigm which has not always been the case in the 21st century.
“But there is another storyline, especially for Christ followers, which should offer significant anticipation that what has evolved out of the sorrow following Charlie Kirk’s murder is the beginning of another genuinely great awakening. The vibrant response of Christ’s people to the horrific assassination of one of our own has stood in stark contrast to that of the godless far left when one of their so-called champions is the alleged victim. Vivid imagery of Erica Kirk standing in front of a sea of people offering her forgiveness to Charlie’s assassin heaped coals of fire on those who would not only seek to destroy the legacy of a good and decent man but also impugn the integrity of God himself.
“Southern Evangelical Seminary, like many others who profess the name of Christ, has long waited to see this alignment of circumstances favorable to the spread of the Gospel to come to fruition. But in the midst of all this, the question arises: Will the church in America be ready and willing to respond effectively to the call of this new paradigm? The answer to that question is precisely why institutions like SES truly matter. That is why SES has been eagerly readying to not only spread the Good News of the Gospel but also has long been a defender of the faith as well. Christ’s Great Commission of ‘going and making disciples’ is the lifeblood of who we are. If a new awakening is finally coming to America, then it is time for all of us who call on the name of Christ to be intentional about standing steadfast in the truth of our faith. There may never be another opportunity; we must not let this one pass us by.”
Judge Phil Ginn was appointed president of SES in April 2021 after a distinguished career as both a lawyer and a judge. Over the course of his 22-year judicial career, he was privileged to hold court in almost 50% of the county seats in North Carolina. He holds a B.A. from Appalachian State University, a J.D. from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and a Doctor of Ministry from Southern Evangelical Seminary. Prior to his appointment as SES president, Judge Ginn served as SES Chairman of the Board of Trustees.
Southern Evangelical Seminary (SES, www.ses.edu) was established in 1992 to cultivate a strong level of discipleship needed to address the problems in a post-Christian culture and to strengthen the church well into the 21st century.
The mission of SES is to train men and women, based on the inerrant and infallible written Word of God, for the evangelization of the world and the defense of the historic Christian faith. SES offers a range of undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral degrees (along with several for-credit certificates) that uniquely integrate theology, philosophy, and apologetics to build a complete and systematic Christian worldview.
SES’s newTruth That Matters (TTM) training center is bridging the gaps between the current needs of individual Christian believers, churches, and organizations and the best available resources in apologetics, evangelism, and discipleship. Led by Dr. Stephen Cutchins, Truth That Matters aims to profoundly impact the Kingdom of God as an extension of the rich legacy and exciting vision of SES. The TTM center offers resources, training and networking opportunities to churches, leaders, families and other non-profit organizations committed to standing “Steadfast in the Truth.” To learn more about TTM, go to Truth That Matters.
For more information on SES, visit its website at www.ses.edu or its Facebook page, or follow the SES Twitter feed, @sesapologetics.
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To interview a spokesperson for Southern Evangelical Seminary, contact Hamilton Strategies, Media@HamiltonStrategies.com, Beth Bogucki, 610.584.1096 ext. 105, Dawn Foglein, ext. 100, or Kristen House, khouse@hamiltonstrategies.com.
