THREAD: @VP Mike Pence recently said, "Religion in America isn’t receding. It’s just the opposite. Faith is gaining new life across America every day." @LouJacobson spoke to experts and found this to be Half True. Here’s why: 
(2/7) Vice President Pence overlooked some notable nuances in the long-running data on religion in the United States.
(3/7) But first! A metaphor: Sociologist @LandonSchnabel says the changing shape of religion is "espresso versus coffee. There's less of it, and it's stronger. And if some people didn't like how coffee tastes, they're really not going to like espresso."
(4/7) Schnabel said that "Pence's statement isn't totally wrong, but it is a misinterpretation." He said Pence focused only on one trend line, rather than the entire landscape.
(5/7) Next! A comparison: The portion of the population without a religious affiliation has quadrupled over a 40-year span from 5 percent to more than 20 percent. The share of the population that is more strongly religious is holding steady, providing Pence some support.
(6/7) Overall, the share of the population that is more strongly religious is holding steady. Those who consider themselves only modestly religious is in a long-term decline, and the share without any religious affiliation is growing.
(7/7) We rated this claim Half True. Read the full fact-check of VP Mike Pence’s statement on religion in the U.S. here: bit.ly/2wPNEUQ
