An essentially evangelical country
The United States is an undeniably religious country: 70.6% of the population is Christian, while 22.8% claims no religious affiliation. The territory is renowned for being the stronghold of evangelical Protestantism, of which more than a third of Christians claim to be Christian - 36% - on a national scale. As Lauric Henneton, a specialist in religions in the United States and lecturer at the University of Versailles, explained to Les Echos in June 2020, "evangelicals are Protestants who claim to have undergone a conversion, in other words, a very strong experience of religious rebirth". The result is "a profound change of personality, accompanied by proselytizing to convert others".
Above all, most evangelicals are known for their extremely conservative positions on abortion and marriage for all... Conversely, a quarter of them are Democrats, and are concerned about the growing "radicalization" of some of their followers. Having a strong impact on American politics, the latter are campaigning for ever-greater restrictions on abortion rights, which are gradually spreading to the West of the country, led by Arizona. With 67% Christians, including 38.8% evangelicals, this is the most religious state in the area. Next come Nevada, with 66% Christians - including 30.3% evangelicals - followed by California, with 63% Christians - including 31.7% evangelicals.
Utah, a territory apart
Utah, for its part, is extremely observant, with 73% Christians, and stands out above all for the small number of evangelicals it is home to: just 7%, compared with 55% Mormons. The territory is the cradle of Mormon theology, and Salt Lake City is its international capital: this is where all the institutions of worship are located. In total, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has 16 million followers worldwide.
The history of this community begins with Joseph Smith Jr. in the 19th century. Born in Vermont - in the north-eastern United States - he is said to have had a vision sent to him by God and Jesus when he was 14, telling him not to join any Christian church. Three years later, an angel named Moroni is said to have appeared to him, announcing that he had been chosen to translate The Book of Mormon - a sacred text written around the 4th century, named after Moroni's father and written on gold plates located in New York State, near where the teenager lived at the time. The work was translated and published in 1830: the religion was officially founded.
Joseph Smith Jr. soon established Mormon communities in Missouri, Ohio and Illinois. After his death in 1844, many of the faithful began to follow Brigham Young, who quickly established himself as his successor. As a result, he found himself at the head of a large group of Mormons in Illinois. Persecuted, they were looking for a place to express their religious freedom: in 1847, Brigham Young led them to the Salt Lake Valley, accompanied by other pioneers. During the 1850s, nearly 16,000 believers left Illinois for Utah. In addition to founding Salt Lake City, the leader became the state's first governor, then was named President of the Church, thus formalizing his position as a prophet. Even today, historians consider Brigham Young to have had a considerable influence on the political and religious landscape of the American West.
Mormon theology under the microscope
Beliefs. Mormons believe in the crucifixion, resurrection and divinity of Jesus. They believe that God sent other prophets to Earth after Christ's death. Although they consider themselves Christians, they do not believe in the Trinity, but in the Father, Son and Holy Spirit as three distinct gods.
Way of life. They fast once a month, don't drink alcohol - or coffee or tea - and don't use tobacco or drugs. Family life, "good deeds", respect for authority and missionary work are also important values, while premarital sexual relations are forbidden. Another special feature is the wearing of special undergarments, known as "temple garments". Finally, Mormons are required to attend mass and Sunday school at least once a week, and to donate 10% of their salary to the Church each year.
Genealogy. Mormons have set themselves the task of tracing the family tree of mankind, believing that family ties are eternal. Their work in this field is remarkable: they invented the GEDCOM standard, which is used worldwide.
Proselytizing. From the age of 18, all teenagers must go on mission to preach the good word at their own expense, for two years, in their own country or abroad. This measure does not apply to young women; however, they can serve from the age of 19, for one and a half years.
Celebrities. Little by little, Mormon theology is making its way into American culture. Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney made no secret of his beliefs during the 2012 election. Famous Mormon personalities include actress Katherine Heigl, of Grey's Anatomy fame, and novelist Stephenie Meyer, author of The Twilight Saga.
