WASHINGTON — American religion is on the ropes, but it has a prayer.
A record-low share of Americans attend church regularly, affiliate with a religious faith and see themselves as religious, according to a major survey released this week.
The findings from mark a continuation of a decades-long departure from the pews along with a growing share who profess loyalty to no religion at all.
But fully 57 percent of respondents said they pray at least once a day, little different from 54 percent in 1983, when the question was first asked on the survey. Three-quarters of respondents said they pray at least once a week, while 1 in 4 pray less often or never.
Those who regularly attend religious services pray at far higher rates, however. Almost 9 in 10 Americans who report attending religious services nearly once a week or more often also pray at least once a day. This drops to 54 percent among those who attend more sporadically.
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