Researcher and author George Barna addresses what he sees as a “critical moment” in the history of the U.S. in The Seven Faith Tribes: Who They Are, What They Believe and Why They Matter.

The author of Revolution and Boiling Point identifies seven major groups, or “faith tribes”—captive Christians, casual Christians, Jews, Mormons, Muslims, pantheists and skeptics—and suggests strategies they could employ to work toward a better future for America.

Although the country is comprised of many faiths, these tribes—who share common backgrounds, beliefs and customs—are important in their size, influence or both, Barna believes.

“There are indeed many faiths, but not many of those faiths attract many people, other than Christianity and atheism,” he told Christian Retailing. “However, the tribes that have overt influence on America, despite their relatively tiny numbers—such as the Jews, Mormons, Muslims and pantheists—are worth identifying and understanding.”

Some of the book’s more sobering findings, Barna said, are the relatively small size of the captive Christians compared to the casual Christian population, the increasing media influence on Americans, the disintegration of unity based on religious worldviews and the lack of leadership.

Still, Barna believes there is hope for healing and restoration in America, which can be found in the tribes’ 20 “shared values,” such as “seek peace with others.”

“Shared values do not require Christians—or any tribe—to abandon their essence,” he said. “The shared values give us some common ground for understanding each other and engaging in meaningful dialogue.”

However, the size of the casual Christian constituency—150 million of the 255 million adults cited—could be alarming to churches seeking to engage Christians in more active service and discipleship. With this in mind, Barna suggests churches should “intentionally and strategically” develop people’s worldviews through “strong, visionary leadership.”

The release will be promoted through a national campaign targeting major market talk shows, Christian Web sites and leadership publications as well as sponsorship at conferences. Plans are also in the works for a satellite leadership training event.

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