Minnesota ranks 25 among religious

The Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life released a list of how religious each state is, and, well, let's just say that at least we beat Wisconsin.

Pollsters ranked the states on four standards: the percentage of people who say religion is very important to them, weekly church attendance, frequency of prayer and belief in God.

Minnesota did best -- best for us, anyway -- in church attendance. We finished No. 25. We ranked 29th in belief in God, 31st in religion's importance and fell to No. 35 in frequency of praying.

Wisconsin's numbers were: church attendance, No. 33; belief in God, 34th; religion's importance, 36th; and praying -- even with the season the Packers are having -- 38th.

As for the rest of the Upper Midwest, Iowa snuck by Minnesota thanks to finishing 21st in church attendance. Led by top-12 rankings for their belief in God, North Dakota and South Dakota walloped us.

Mississippi finished No. 1 in all four categories. In fact, with the exception of Utah and its Mormon influence (No. 2 in church attendance), all the top states are in the South. Vermont ended up in last place.

A fresh Perspective Several prominent local church leaders have joined together to sponsor a Perspectives class that will run from January to May.

Among those involved in bringing the program to Minnesota are the Rev. Jeff Anderson from Grace Church in Eden Prairie, the Rev. John Piper from Bethlehem Baptist Church in Minneapolis and the Rev. John Mayer, executive director of City Vision, a Minneapolis organization that tracks religious demographics.

The class, typically presenting a different speaker every week, meets once a week for 15 weeks starting Jan. 4. There are two options: 6:15 p.m. Mondays at First Covenant Church, 810 S. 7th St., Minneapolis, and 6:15 p.m. Tuesdays at Grace Church, 9301 Eden Prairie Rd., Eden Prairie. The cost is $265. Scholarships are available, and both undergraduate and graduate credit are available through some schools. Call 952-373-1640 for information.

Politics as faith The top religion story of the year turned out to be a political speech. In its annual year-end survey, the Religion Newswriters Association, a group of reporters who cover faith, chose as the No. 1 story on the beat in 2009 President Obama's June speech in which he promised a new era in relations between the United States and Muslim countries.

The year's No. 2 story was the effect that faith groups have had in the debate over the national health care bill and its provision on abortion, while No. 3 involved the Fort Hood massacre and its impact on religious intolerance.

Those looking for a local angle can fix on story No. 7: the vote by the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America at its August convention in Minneapolis to roster gay preachers.