Fewer Americans now pray

They believe that the Bible is divinely inspired, with the biggest declines among 18- to 29-year-old respondents.

The percentage of Americans who pray or believe in God has reached an all-time low, according to new research led by San Diego State University psychology professor Jean M. Twenge.

Five times as many Americans reported that they never prayed as did Americans in the early 1980s, and nearly twice as many said they did not believe in God.

Americans believe that the Bible is divinely inspired, with the biggest declines seen among 18- to 29-year-old respondents. The results were published in the journal Sage Open.

“Most previous studies concluded that fewer Americans were publicly affiliating with a religion, but that they were just as religious in private ways. That's no longer the case, especially in the last few years,” said researcher Twenge, who is also the author of the book, “Generation Me.”

“The large declines in religious practice among young adults are also further evidence that Millennials are the least religious generation in memory, and in American history.”

“It was interesting that fewer people participated in religion but more believed in an afterlife,” Twenge said.