 thumb|300px|the area roughly considered to constitute the bible belt the bible belt is an informal term for a region in the south-eastern and south-central united states in which socially conservative evangelical protestantism is a significant part of the culture and christian church attendance across the denominations is generally higher than the nation's average. the bible belt consists of much of the southern united states. during the colonial period (1607â1776), the south was a stronghold of the anglican church. its transition to a stronghold of non-anglican protestantism occurred gradually over the next century as a series of religious revival movements, many associated with the baptist denomination, gained great popularity in the region. the region is usually contrasted with the mainline protestantism and catholicism of the northeastern united states, the religiously diverse midwest and great lakes, the mormon corridor in utah and southern idaho, and the relatively secular western united states. whereas the state with the highest percentage of residents identifying as non-religious is the new england state of vermont at 34%, in the bible belt state of alabama it is just 6%. mississippi has the highest proportion of baptists, at 55%. the earliest known usage of the term "bible belt" was by american journalist and social commentator h. l. mencken, who in 1924 wrote in the chicago daily tribune: "the old game, i suspect, is beginning to play out in the bible belt."fred r. shapiro (ed.). yale book of quotations. yale university press (2006). isbn 978-0-300-10798-2. mencken claimed the term as his invention in 1927.h. l. mencken letter to charles green shaw, 1927 dec. 2 . charles green shaw papers, archives of american art, smithsonian institution. see also, http://www.lettersofnote.com/2011/06/human-race-is-incurably-idiotic.html ==geography== the name "bible belt" has been applied historically to the south and parts of the midwest, but is more commonly identified with the south. in a 1961 study, wilbur zelinsky delineated the region as the area in which protestant denominations, especially southern baptist, methodist, and evangelical, are the predominant religious affiliation. the region thus defined included most of the southern united states, including most of texas and oklahoma in the southwest, and in the states sout
Charismatic_and_Pentecostal_Christianity Christian_fundamentalism Christianity_in_the_United_States Evangelicalism_in_the_United_States Religion_in_the_Southern_United_States