Sunday Gathering: What Happened to Civic Engagement in America (and Why That Matters)

The United States is witnessing a significant decline in civic engagement, with nearly 100,000 churches expected to close in the next 10 years. Secular civic groups like Rotary International, Moose and Elk lodges, and others are also struggling to maintain their chapters. This swift development was foreseen in Robert Putnam’s 2000 book “Bowling Alone,” though he did not anticipate the rapid drop in civic participation. This deep dive into changing American culture, by Society Leader Curt Collier, will raise questions about the importance of civic engagement for American democracy, the reasons behind this decline according to researchers, and if and how the Ethical Society can buck this trend.

This Gathering will be at the meetinghouse and on Zoom. The Zoom link will be in the weekly Focus newsletter and may be obtained by emailing [email protected].