Public confidence in organized religion and clergy plunged in 2002, resulting in Americans’ lowest rating of religion since Gallup began polling on the topic in 1941.

Public confidence in organized religion and clergy plunged in 2002, resulting in Americans’ lowest rating of religion since Gallup began polling on the topic in 1941. George Gallup Jr., whose organization released the findings this week, blamed the decline on the Catholic sex-abuse scandal that erupted last January and plagued the church all year.