Joel Thiessen and Sarah Wilkins-Laflamme
- Published in print:
- 2020
- Published Online:
- January 2021
- ISBN:
- 9781479817399
- eISBN:
- 9781479864225
- Item type:
- book
- Publisher:
- NYU Press
- DOI:
- 10.18574/nyu/9781479817399.001.0001
- Subject:
- Religion, Religion and Society
This book examines the nearly one-quarter of American and Canadian adults who say they have no religion. Who are they? Why, and where, has this population grown? How do religious nones in the United ...
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This book examines the nearly one-quarter of American and Canadian adults who say they have no religion. Who are they? Why, and where, has this population grown? How do religious nones in the United States and Canada compare? What are the dynamics of being a religious none in contemporary America and Canada, and how does this willful distance from organized religion impact other aspects of daily and social life? This book turns to survey and interview data to answer these questions against the backdrop of three theoretical frameworks in the sociology of religion: stages of decline, individualization and spiritualization, and polarization. The central claim is that there is a gradual religious decline happening in stages across time and generations and at different rates in various social, cultural, and regional contexts, leading to the rise of religious nones. Yet, this form of decline does not imply the disappearance of all things religious and spiritual, as a diversity of spiritual beliefs and practices along with nonbelief and secular attitudes coexist and are constantly evolving. The decline of organized religion among large segments of the American and Canadian populations also does not mean that religion is necessarily less relevant for everyday interactions and social life. If anything, that there are now large groups of religious and nonreligious individuals coexisting in both countries could mean there is a greater social divide and distance in moral and political values and behaviors along religious/nonreligious lines, as well as in interactions and attitudes between the religious and nonreligious.Less
This book examines the nearly one-quarter of American and Canadian adults who say they have no religion. Who are they? Why, and where, has this population grown? How do religious nones in the United States and Canada compare? What are the dynamics of being a religious none in contemporary America and Canada, and how does this willful distance from organized religion impact other aspects of daily and social life? This book turns to survey and interview data to answer these questions against the backdrop of three theoretical frameworks in the sociology of religion: stages of decline, individualization and spiritualization, and polarization. The central claim is that there is a gradual religious decline happening in stages across time and generations and at different rates in various social, cultural, and regional contexts, leading to the rise of religious nones. Yet, this form of decline does not imply the disappearance of all things religious and spiritual, as a diversity of spiritual beliefs and practices along with nonbelief and secular attitudes coexist and are constantly evolving. The decline of organized religion among large segments of the American and Canadian populations also does not mean that religion is necessarily less relevant for everyday interactions and social life. If anything, that there are now large groups of religious and nonreligious individuals coexisting in both countries could mean there is a greater social divide and distance in moral and political values and behaviors along religious/nonreligious lines, as well as in interactions and attitudes between the religious and nonreligious.
Lynn S. Neal
- Published in print:
- 2019
- Published Online:
- September 2020
- ISBN:
- 9781479892709
- eISBN:
- 9781479810918
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- NYU Press
- DOI:
- 10.18574/nyu/9781479892709.003.0001
- Subject:
- Religion, Church History
This introduction describes the book’s fashion-focused approach to religion and its central argument. It sets up the concept of fashionable religion, which highlights how fashion constructs a ...
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This introduction describes the book’s fashion-focused approach to religion and its central argument. It sets up the concept of fashionable religion, which highlights how fashion constructs a specific vision of Christianity that celebrates beauty and wonder, innovation and enchantment. To establish this, the introduction provides an overview of the book’s primary sources and identifies how the book’s approach differs from existing scholarship on religion and dress. Rather than focusing on what religions do with or say about dress, the introduction highlights the importance of the fashion industry for thinking about the changing religious landscape of the late twentieth and early twenty-first centuries, including the rise of spirituality and the increase in the religiously unaffiliated or “nones.”Less
This introduction describes the book’s fashion-focused approach to religion and its central argument. It sets up the concept of fashionable religion, which highlights how fashion constructs a specific vision of Christianity that celebrates beauty and wonder, innovation and enchantment. To establish this, the introduction provides an overview of the book’s primary sources and identifies how the book’s approach differs from existing scholarship on religion and dress. Rather than focusing on what religions do with or say about dress, the introduction highlights the importance of the fashion industry for thinking about the changing religious landscape of the late twentieth and early twenty-first centuries, including the rise of spirituality and the increase in the religiously unaffiliated or “nones.”
Melinda Lundquist Denton, Richard Flory, and Christian Smith
- Published in print:
- 2020
- Published Online:
- April 2020
- ISBN:
- 9780190064785
- eISBN:
- 9780190064815
- Item type:
- book
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/oso/9780190064785.001.0001
- Subject:
- Religion, Religion and Society
What do the religious and spiritual lives of American young people look like as they reach their mid to late 20s, enter the full-time job market, and start families? In Back Pocket God, the authors ...
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What do the religious and spiritual lives of American young people look like as they reach their mid to late 20s, enter the full-time job market, and start families? In Back Pocket God, the authors provide a look beyond conflicting stories that argue that emerging adults either are overwhelmingly leaving religion or are earnest spiritual seekers maintaining a significant place in their lives for religion. Denton and Flory show that while the dominant trend among young people is a move away from religious beliefs and institutions, there is also a parallel trend in which a small, religiously committed group of emerging adults claim faith as an important fixture in their lives. Yet, whether religiously committed or not, emerging adults are increasingly personalizing, customizing, and compartmentalizing religion in ways that suit their idiosyncratic desires. For emerging adults, God has become increasingly remote yet is highly personalized to meet their particular needs. In the process, they have transformed their conception of God from a powerful being or force that exists “out there” to their own personal “Pocket God”—a God that they can carry around with them but that exerts little power or influence in their daily lives. God functions, in a sense, like a smartphone app—readily accessible, easy to control, and useful but only for limited purposes. Back Pocket God shows the changing relationship between emerging adults and religion, providing a window into the future of religion and, more broadly, American culture.Less
What do the religious and spiritual lives of American young people look like as they reach their mid to late 20s, enter the full-time job market, and start families? In Back Pocket God, the authors provide a look beyond conflicting stories that argue that emerging adults either are overwhelmingly leaving religion or are earnest spiritual seekers maintaining a significant place in their lives for religion. Denton and Flory show that while the dominant trend among young people is a move away from religious beliefs and institutions, there is also a parallel trend in which a small, religiously committed group of emerging adults claim faith as an important fixture in their lives. Yet, whether religiously committed or not, emerging adults are increasingly personalizing, customizing, and compartmentalizing religion in ways that suit their idiosyncratic desires. For emerging adults, God has become increasingly remote yet is highly personalized to meet their particular needs. In the process, they have transformed their conception of God from a powerful being or force that exists “out there” to their own personal “Pocket God”—a God that they can carry around with them but that exerts little power or influence in their daily lives. God functions, in a sense, like a smartphone app—readily accessible, easy to control, and useful but only for limited purposes. Back Pocket God shows the changing relationship between emerging adults and religion, providing a window into the future of religion and, more broadly, American culture.
K. Healan Gaston
- Published in print:
- 2019
- Published Online:
- May 2020
- ISBN:
- 9780226663715
- eISBN:
- 9780226663999
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- University of Chicago Press
- DOI:
- 10.7208/chicago/9780226663999.003.0011
- Subject:
- History, History of Religion
Changes in religious demography have reshaped American political discourse in the early twenty-first century, as the public statements of Barack Obama and Donald J. Trump attest. The rise of the ...
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Changes in religious demography have reshaped American political discourse in the early twenty-first century, as the public statements of Barack Obama and Donald J. Trump attest. The rise of the religiously unaffiliated “nones,” the return of “atheist” as an acceptable self-descriptor, a growing belief in the validity of multiple faiths, and the increasingly common experiences of religious mobility, intermarriage, and hybridity have all profoundly altered the religious and political landscapes, despite the Christian right’s continued power. Obama, who embodied the tendency toward religious hybridity, marked such changes by eschewing even the broad term “multireligious” and instead listing numerous belief communities by name, including atheists. Trump, however, departed even more substantially from past patterns. Despite championing the social and political interests of the Christian right, he abandoned both the customary expressions of personal piety and the hitherto unbroken tradition of defining the United States as the embodiment of a set of ideals, whether universal or particular. The book closes by reflecting on the possible futures of the Judeo-Christian and Abrahamic frameworks, the interpretive shortcomings of the culture wars concept, and the power of religious language in American politics.Less
Changes in religious demography have reshaped American political discourse in the early twenty-first century, as the public statements of Barack Obama and Donald J. Trump attest. The rise of the religiously unaffiliated “nones,” the return of “atheist” as an acceptable self-descriptor, a growing belief in the validity of multiple faiths, and the increasingly common experiences of religious mobility, intermarriage, and hybridity have all profoundly altered the religious and political landscapes, despite the Christian right’s continued power. Obama, who embodied the tendency toward religious hybridity, marked such changes by eschewing even the broad term “multireligious” and instead listing numerous belief communities by name, including atheists. Trump, however, departed even more substantially from past patterns. Despite championing the social and political interests of the Christian right, he abandoned both the customary expressions of personal piety and the hitherto unbroken tradition of defining the United States as the embodiment of a set of ideals, whether universal or particular. The book closes by reflecting on the possible futures of the Judeo-Christian and Abrahamic frameworks, the interpretive shortcomings of the culture wars concept, and the power of religious language in American politics.
Russell M. Jeung, Seanan S. Fong, and Helen Jin Kim
- Published in print:
- 2019
- Published Online:
- May 2019
- ISBN:
- 9780190875923
- eISBN:
- 9780190875954
- Item type:
- book
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/oso/9780190875923.001.0001
- Subject:
- Religion, Religion and Society
Family Sacrifices provides a comprehensive, sociological portrait of Chinese Americans’ most cherished values, practices, and ethics, ultimately illuminating why this ethnic group is the most ...
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Family Sacrifices provides a comprehensive, sociological portrait of Chinese Americans’ most cherished values, practices, and ethics, ultimately illuminating why this ethnic group is the most nonreligious (52%) in the United States. Though unaffiliated, Chinese Americans adhere to the moral system of familism, a transpacific lived tradition rooted in Chinese Popular Religion and Confucianism, which prioritizes family above other commitments. Hybridizing their Chinese and American sensibilities, Chinese Americans employ familism as the primary narrative for constructing meaning, identity, and belonging. Research on the religiously unaffiliated in the U.S. focuses on nonbelief and nonbelonging. Yet the spiritual and ethical systems of China place more emphasis on ritual and virtue. To address this gap in understanding non-Western moral systems, Family Sacrifices employs the new theoretical concept of liyi, translated as “ritual propriety and righteous relations.” Reappropriated from its original Chinese usage, liyi is a needed breakthrough for understanding Chinese religiosity and the emergence of religious “nones” in the United States. Family Sacrifices is the first book based on national survey data on Asian American religious practices and a seminal text on the fastest-growing racial group in the United States. At the intersection of Asian American studies, sociology of religion, and religious studies, it is a much needed text for anyone working with Chinese Americans and the unaffiliated.Less
Family Sacrifices provides a comprehensive, sociological portrait of Chinese Americans’ most cherished values, practices, and ethics, ultimately illuminating why this ethnic group is the most nonreligious (52%) in the United States. Though unaffiliated, Chinese Americans adhere to the moral system of familism, a transpacific lived tradition rooted in Chinese Popular Religion and Confucianism, which prioritizes family above other commitments. Hybridizing their Chinese and American sensibilities, Chinese Americans employ familism as the primary narrative for constructing meaning, identity, and belonging. Research on the religiously unaffiliated in the U.S. focuses on nonbelief and nonbelonging. Yet the spiritual and ethical systems of China place more emphasis on ritual and virtue. To address this gap in understanding non-Western moral systems, Family Sacrifices employs the new theoretical concept of liyi, translated as “ritual propriety and righteous relations.” Reappropriated from its original Chinese usage, liyi is a needed breakthrough for understanding Chinese religiosity and the emergence of religious “nones” in the United States. Family Sacrifices is the first book based on national survey data on Asian American religious practices and a seminal text on the fastest-growing racial group in the United States. At the intersection of Asian American studies, sociology of religion, and religious studies, it is a much needed text for anyone working with Chinese Americans and the unaffiliated.
Tim Clydesdale and Kathleen Garces-Foley
- Published in print:
- 2019
- Published Online:
- July 2019
- ISBN:
- 9780190931353
- eISBN:
- 9780190931384
- Item type:
- book
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/oso/9780190931353.001.0001
- Subject:
- Religion, Religion and Society
Few realize how much Americans’ journey through their twenties has changed during the past half-century or understand how incorrect popular assumptions about young adults’ religious, spiritual, and ...
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Few realize how much Americans’ journey through their twenties has changed during the past half-century or understand how incorrect popular assumptions about young adults’ religious, spiritual, and secular lives are. Today’s twentysomethings have been labelled the “lost generation”—for their presumed inability to identify and lead fulfilling lives, “kidults”—for their alleged refusal to “grow up” and accept adult responsibilities, and the “least religious generation”—for their purported disinterest in religion and spirituality. These characterizations are not only unflattering, they are deeply flawed. The Twentysomething Soul tells an optimistic story about American twentysomethings. Drawing on hundreds of interviews and a survey of thousands across America, it introduces readers to the full spectrum of American young adults, many of whom live purposefully, responsibly, and reflectively. Some prioritize faith and spirituality. Others reject their childhood religion to explore alternatives and practice a personal spirituality. Still others sideline religion and spirituality until their lives get settled or reject organized religion completely. There is change occurring in the religious and spiritual lives of young adults, but little of it is among the 1 in 4 American twentysomethings who have consistently prioritized religious commitment during the past half-century. The change is rather among the now 3 in 10 young adults who, though intentionally unaffiliated with religion, affirm a variety of religious, spiritual, and secular beliefs. The Twentysomething Soul will change the way readers view contemporary young adults, giving an accurate—and refreshing—understanding of their religious, spiritual, and secular lives.Less
Few realize how much Americans’ journey through their twenties has changed during the past half-century or understand how incorrect popular assumptions about young adults’ religious, spiritual, and secular lives are. Today’s twentysomethings have been labelled the “lost generation”—for their presumed inability to identify and lead fulfilling lives, “kidults”—for their alleged refusal to “grow up” and accept adult responsibilities, and the “least religious generation”—for their purported disinterest in religion and spirituality. These characterizations are not only unflattering, they are deeply flawed. The Twentysomething Soul tells an optimistic story about American twentysomethings. Drawing on hundreds of interviews and a survey of thousands across America, it introduces readers to the full spectrum of American young adults, many of whom live purposefully, responsibly, and reflectively. Some prioritize faith and spirituality. Others reject their childhood religion to explore alternatives and practice a personal spirituality. Still others sideline religion and spirituality until their lives get settled or reject organized religion completely. There is change occurring in the religious and spiritual lives of young adults, but little of it is among the 1 in 4 American twentysomethings who have consistently prioritized religious commitment during the past half-century. The change is rather among the now 3 in 10 young adults who, though intentionally unaffiliated with religion, affirm a variety of religious, spiritual, and secular beliefs. The Twentysomething Soul will change the way readers view contemporary young adults, giving an accurate—and refreshing—understanding of their religious, spiritual, and secular lives.
Joel Thiessen and Sarah Wilkins-Laflamme
- Published in print:
- 2020
- Published Online:
- January 2021
- ISBN:
- 9781479817399
- eISBN:
- 9781479864225
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- NYU Press
- DOI:
- 10.18574/nyu/9781479817399.003.0001
- Subject:
- Religion, Religion and Society
This introduction charts out the rising rates of religious nones in the United States and Canada, including in several subregions within each nation. Attention is given to the reasons religious nones ...
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This introduction charts out the rising rates of religious nones in the United States and Canada, including in several subregions within each nation. Attention is given to the reasons religious nones have grown, as well as to the demographic composition among current religious nones. This chapter then frames the entire project against the backdrop of three theoretical frameworks used in the sociology of religion and religious studies: stages of decline, individualization and spiritualization, and polarization. The chapter concludes with an overview of the remaining sections in the book.Less
This introduction charts out the rising rates of religious nones in the United States and Canada, including in several subregions within each nation. Attention is given to the reasons religious nones have grown, as well as to the demographic composition among current religious nones. This chapter then frames the entire project against the backdrop of three theoretical frameworks used in the sociology of religion and religious studies: stages of decline, individualization and spiritualization, and polarization. The chapter concludes with an overview of the remaining sections in the book.
Joel Thiessen and Sarah Wilkins-Laflamme
- Published in print:
- 2020
- Published Online:
- January 2021
- ISBN:
- 9781479817399
- eISBN:
- 9781479864225
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- NYU Press
- DOI:
- 10.18574/nyu/9781479817399.003.0002
- Subject:
- Religion, Religion and Society
This chapter investigates the biographic pathways that lead people to say they have no religion. It shows that religious nones have historically grown among those raised within a religious tradition ...
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This chapter investigates the biographic pathways that lead people to say they have no religion. It shows that religious nones have historically grown among those raised within a religious tradition who for various reasons outlined in this chapter decided to disaffiliate. As these religious nones have children, there are growing signs that irreligious socialization helps to explain the rise of religious nones in the United States and Canada especially. This chapter also deals with the influence of growing up and living in more secular social environments, before exploring the demographic factors affecting the size of the religious none population moving forward.Less
This chapter investigates the biographic pathways that lead people to say they have no religion. It shows that religious nones have historically grown among those raised within a religious tradition who for various reasons outlined in this chapter decided to disaffiliate. As these religious nones have children, there are growing signs that irreligious socialization helps to explain the rise of religious nones in the United States and Canada especially. This chapter also deals with the influence of growing up and living in more secular social environments, before exploring the demographic factors affecting the size of the religious none population moving forward.
Joel Thiessen and Sarah Wilkins-Laflamme
- Published in print:
- 2020
- Published Online:
- January 2021
- ISBN:
- 9781479817399
- eISBN:
- 9781479864225
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- NYU Press
- DOI:
- 10.18574/nyu/9781479817399.003.0004
- Subject:
- Religion, Religion and Society
This material examines the different ways that the affiliated and unaffiliated talk about, define, and measure morality. Analysis and discussion centers on the ways that the actively religious, ...
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This material examines the different ways that the affiliated and unaffiliated talk about, define, and measure morality. Analysis and discussion centers on the ways that the actively religious, marginally religious, and the five subtypes of religious nones view a wide range of social and political issues, including abortion, same-sex marriage, women in the workforce, environmental laws and spending, government aid to the disadvantaged, and immigration. This chapter builds on the regional analysis throughout the book, demonstrating where and why some pockets of the population—affiliated and unaffiliated—seem to be more liberal or conservative on different social and political issues.Less
This material examines the different ways that the affiliated and unaffiliated talk about, define, and measure morality. Analysis and discussion centers on the ways that the actively religious, marginally religious, and the five subtypes of religious nones view a wide range of social and political issues, including abortion, same-sex marriage, women in the workforce, environmental laws and spending, government aid to the disadvantaged, and immigration. This chapter builds on the regional analysis throughout the book, demonstrating where and why some pockets of the population—affiliated and unaffiliated—seem to be more liberal or conservative on different social and political issues.
Joel Thiessen and Sarah Wilkins-Laflamme
- Published in print:
- 2020
- Published Online:
- January 2021
- ISBN:
- 9781479817399
- eISBN:
- 9781479864225
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- NYU Press
- DOI:
- 10.18574/nyu/9781479817399.003.0005
- Subject:
- Religion, Religion and Society
This chapter deals with political and civic engagement, once more comparing the actively religious, marginally religious, and unaffiliated. In terms of political engagement, the focus is on the many ...
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This chapter deals with political and civic engagement, once more comparing the actively religious, marginally religious, and unaffiliated. In terms of political engagement, the focus is on the many ways individuals are or are not politically active, including who they vote for. Discussion is similarly given to volunteering and charitable giving habits, such as if people volunteer or donate money (or not), how frequently and where they volunteer or give, and motivations for volunteering and giving. The chapter concludes with some possible social and civic implications on the horizon for those in the United States and Canada, should religious nones continue to hold a sizeable proportion of the population.Less
This chapter deals with political and civic engagement, once more comparing the actively religious, marginally religious, and unaffiliated. In terms of political engagement, the focus is on the many ways individuals are or are not politically active, including who they vote for. Discussion is similarly given to volunteering and charitable giving habits, such as if people volunteer or donate money (or not), how frequently and where they volunteer or give, and motivations for volunteering and giving. The chapter concludes with some possible social and civic implications on the horizon for those in the United States and Canada, should religious nones continue to hold a sizeable proportion of the population.
Shari Rabin
- Published in print:
- 2017
- Published Online:
- September 2018
- ISBN:
- 9781479830473
- eISBN:
- 9781479869855
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- NYU Press
- DOI:
- 10.18574/nyu/9781479830473.003.0001
- Subject:
- History, History of Religion
The introduction presents the case of a single mobile Jew with eclectic religious practices, Edward Rosewater, arguing that he is a compelling if unexpected starting point from which to redescribe ...
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The introduction presents the case of a single mobile Jew with eclectic religious practices, Edward Rosewater, arguing that he is a compelling if unexpected starting point from which to redescribe religion in America. Building on religious studies methodologies developed in the American Catholic context, this book helps explain American religious eclecticism. As with contemporary “nones,” for nineteenth-century Americans like Rosewater, congregations, denominations, and stable identities were not obvious or inevitable. Rather, they were particular strategies—among many others—for coping with life amidst the individuating forces of American law, economics, and racial logics. While some Jews believed that Judaism was already suitable for all locales, most Jews recognized that they would have to reconcile Judaism with this new context, whether through individual adaptations like those of Rosewater or through the national projects proposed by famous leaders Rabbi Isaac Mayer Wise and Isaac Leeser.Less
The introduction presents the case of a single mobile Jew with eclectic religious practices, Edward Rosewater, arguing that he is a compelling if unexpected starting point from which to redescribe religion in America. Building on religious studies methodologies developed in the American Catholic context, this book helps explain American religious eclecticism. As with contemporary “nones,” for nineteenth-century Americans like Rosewater, congregations, denominations, and stable identities were not obvious or inevitable. Rather, they were particular strategies—among many others—for coping with life amidst the individuating forces of American law, economics, and racial logics. While some Jews believed that Judaism was already suitable for all locales, most Jews recognized that they would have to reconcile Judaism with this new context, whether through individual adaptations like those of Rosewater or through the national projects proposed by famous leaders Rabbi Isaac Mayer Wise and Isaac Leeser.
Vern L. Bengtson, Norella M. Putney, and Susan C. Harris
- Published in print:
- 2013
- Published Online:
- January 2014
- ISBN:
- 9780199948659
- eISBN:
- 9780199369867
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199948659.003.0008
- Subject:
- Religion, Religion and Society
The fastest-growing religious category in America is comprised of the not religious: atheists, agnostics, those who are religiously unaffiliated or uninterested, and those who call themselves ...
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The fastest-growing religious category in America is comprised of the not religious: atheists, agnostics, those who are religiously unaffiliated or uninterested, and those who call themselves “spiritual but not religious.” Previous research suggested that a majority of these come from a religious background but have rejected their parents’ faith. In this study, however, by 2005 it was far more common to see a high degree of intergenerational similarity with nonreligious children following in the path of their nonreligious parents. Such parent–child similarity increased markedly over the thirty-five years of the study: In 1970 only one in seven young adult nones had parents who also were nonaffiliated; by 2005 this had increased to six in ten youth.Less
The fastest-growing religious category in America is comprised of the not religious: atheists, agnostics, those who are religiously unaffiliated or uninterested, and those who call themselves “spiritual but not religious.” Previous research suggested that a majority of these come from a religious background but have rejected their parents’ faith. In this study, however, by 2005 it was far more common to see a high degree of intergenerational similarity with nonreligious children following in the path of their nonreligious parents. Such parent–child similarity increased markedly over the thirty-five years of the study: In 1970 only one in seven young adult nones had parents who also were nonaffiliated; by 2005 this had increased to six in ten youth.
Linda A. Mercadante
- Published in print:
- 2014
- Published Online:
- April 2014
- ISBN:
- 9780199931002
- eISBN:
- 9780199367467
- Item type:
- book
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199931002.001.0001
- Subject:
- Religion, Religion and Society
“Nones”—those without religious affiliation—now outnumber even the largest Protestant denominations in America. Many of these “nones” self-identify as “spiritual but not religious” (SBNR). This book ...
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“Nones”—those without religious affiliation—now outnumber even the largest Protestant denominations in America. Many of these “nones” self-identify as “spiritual but not religious” (SBNR). This book represents one of the first qualitative research studies of SBNRs, analyzing about one hundred in-depth interviews, as well as many more informal conversations, site visits, and focus groups. In it, spiritual explorers describe their journeys, unpack their beliefs, and explain their feelings about organized religion. The book seriously considers the latent theology within this movement and pays particular attention to interviewees’ ideas of divine transcendence, human nature, community, and afterlife. Even though SBNRs routinely discount creeds and doctrines, their comments reveal an emerging set of beliefs, many of them purposely in opposition to doctrines they associate with Christianity. This growing SBNR “theology” promises to dramatically change the spiritual, social, and political character of America, affecting inter-religious dialogue, church growth, and the common good of society. Since SBNRs can be found inside as well as outside faith groups, the research challenges widespread views of religion in America. The book not only contests superficial attitudes toward the SBNR movement, more importantly it unpacks a profound shift going on today in American religious belief and practice.Less
“Nones”—those without religious affiliation—now outnumber even the largest Protestant denominations in America. Many of these “nones” self-identify as “spiritual but not religious” (SBNR). This book represents one of the first qualitative research studies of SBNRs, analyzing about one hundred in-depth interviews, as well as many more informal conversations, site visits, and focus groups. In it, spiritual explorers describe their journeys, unpack their beliefs, and explain their feelings about organized religion. The book seriously considers the latent theology within this movement and pays particular attention to interviewees’ ideas of divine transcendence, human nature, community, and afterlife. Even though SBNRs routinely discount creeds and doctrines, their comments reveal an emerging set of beliefs, many of them purposely in opposition to doctrines they associate with Christianity. This growing SBNR “theology” promises to dramatically change the spiritual, social, and political character of America, affecting inter-religious dialogue, church growth, and the common good of society. Since SBNRs can be found inside as well as outside faith groups, the research challenges widespread views of religion in America. The book not only contests superficial attitudes toward the SBNR movement, more importantly it unpacks a profound shift going on today in American religious belief and practice.
Carol Ann MacGregor and Ashlyn Haycook
- Published in print:
- 2021
- Published Online:
- February 2021
- ISBN:
- 9780197529317
- eISBN:
- 9780197529355
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/oso/9780197529317.003.0004
- Subject:
- Religion, Religion and Society
Lapsed Catholics are sometimes referred to as one of the largest religious groups in America, and yet we know little about what beliefs and behaviors may be associated with this social category. ...
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Lapsed Catholics are sometimes referred to as one of the largest religious groups in America, and yet we know little about what beliefs and behaviors may be associated with this social category. Using data from the Pew Religious Landscape Survey, this chapter compares the religious beliefs, social attitudes, and voluntary behavior of lapsed Catholics and other religious non-affiliates (nones, atheists, and agnostics) alongside lapsed evangelicals and lapsed mainline Protestants. Generally speaking, lapsed Catholics fall somewhere in the middle between practicing Catholics and those with no religious affiliation, but they are notably more liberal in their attitudes toward abortion and same-sex marriage. This study affirms the importance of considering the heterogeneity within the category of “nonreligious” by considering the lingering attachments people may hold to religion outside of church attendance. The chapter concludes by considering whether the glass is half full or half empty for those interested in the future of American Catholicism.Less
Lapsed Catholics are sometimes referred to as one of the largest religious groups in America, and yet we know little about what beliefs and behaviors may be associated with this social category. Using data from the Pew Religious Landscape Survey, this chapter compares the religious beliefs, social attitudes, and voluntary behavior of lapsed Catholics and other religious non-affiliates (nones, atheists, and agnostics) alongside lapsed evangelicals and lapsed mainline Protestants. Generally speaking, lapsed Catholics fall somewhere in the middle between practicing Catholics and those with no religious affiliation, but they are notably more liberal in their attitudes toward abortion and same-sex marriage. This study affirms the importance of considering the heterogeneity within the category of “nonreligious” by considering the lingering attachments people may hold to religion outside of church attendance. The chapter concludes by considering whether the glass is half full or half empty for those interested in the future of American Catholicism.
Vern Bengtson, Gabrielle Gonzales, Camille Endacott, and Samantha L. C. Kang
- Published in print:
- 2021
- Published Online:
- February 2021
- ISBN:
- 9780197529317
- eISBN:
- 9780197529355
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/oso/9780197529317.003.0005
- Subject:
- Religion, Religion and Society
The purpose of this study was to examine the types, meanings, and benefits of spiritual practices among older adults and to discuss their implications for well-being. In-depth interviews were ...
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The purpose of this study was to examine the types, meanings, and benefits of spiritual practices among older adults and to discuss their implications for well-being. In-depth interviews were conducted with 122 individuals, with an average age of 77. Of these, 102 were highly involved in churches or synagogues, and 20 were atheists, agnostics, secular humanists, or religiously indifferent. The chapter’s authors found a wide array of activities identified by respondents as spiritual practices, ranging from the anticipated (prayer, participating in corporate worship, reading) to the more novel (attending long-distance Bible study groups via Skype, watercolor painting). They also found an overlap between the religious and the nonreligious older adults in many spiritual practices. Most respondents reported that their spiritual practices had increased with age. Respondents perceived significant benefits from their spiritual practices. Too often, health practitioners have not been sensitive to the benefits of spiritual practices in the lives of older adults.Less
The purpose of this study was to examine the types, meanings, and benefits of spiritual practices among older adults and to discuss their implications for well-being. In-depth interviews were conducted with 122 individuals, with an average age of 77. Of these, 102 were highly involved in churches or synagogues, and 20 were atheists, agnostics, secular humanists, or religiously indifferent. The chapter’s authors found a wide array of activities identified by respondents as spiritual practices, ranging from the anticipated (prayer, participating in corporate worship, reading) to the more novel (attending long-distance Bible study groups via Skype, watercolor painting). They also found an overlap between the religious and the nonreligious older adults in many spiritual practices. Most respondents reported that their spiritual practices had increased with age. Respondents perceived significant benefits from their spiritual practices. Too often, health practitioners have not been sensitive to the benefits of spiritual practices in the lives of older adults.
Linda A. Mercadante
- Published in print:
- 2014
- Published Online:
- April 2014
- ISBN:
- 9780199931002
- eISBN:
- 9780199367467
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199931002.003.0001
- Subject:
- Religion, Religion and Society
The dramatic rise in the number of religiously unaffiliated, who nevertheless claim to be “spiritual but not religious,” suggests the need to rethink the categories of spirituality and religion. ...
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The dramatic rise in the number of religiously unaffiliated, who nevertheless claim to be “spiritual but not religious,” suggests the need to rethink the categories of spirituality and religion. Although more a rhetorical device than true divorce, this important shift demands the study of the beliefs of “nones.” The “why” of this and the interview process are explained. The book asks whether this is a spiritual crisis or revolution, and whether the situation is really spirituality versus religion. It also explains why the study of belief, although often neglected by the social sciences, is critical. The interview process and the interviewees are discussed, showing that qualitative research is an appropriate method to elicit SBNR beliefs. A main contention is that SBNRs need to be heard in their own voices.Less
The dramatic rise in the number of religiously unaffiliated, who nevertheless claim to be “spiritual but not religious,” suggests the need to rethink the categories of spirituality and religion. Although more a rhetorical device than true divorce, this important shift demands the study of the beliefs of “nones.” The “why” of this and the interview process are explained. The book asks whether this is a spiritual crisis or revolution, and whether the situation is really spirituality versus religion. It also explains why the study of belief, although often neglected by the social sciences, is critical. The interview process and the interviewees are discussed, showing that qualitative research is an appropriate method to elicit SBNR beliefs. A main contention is that SBNRs need to be heard in their own voices.
Linda A. Mercadante
- Published in print:
- 2014
- Published Online:
- April 2014
- ISBN:
- 9780199931002
- eISBN:
- 9780199367467
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199931002.003.0002
- Subject:
- Religion, Religion and Society
Whether aberration or heritage, the surge in organized religion during the 1950s and early 1960s still functions as the “gold standard” for many today, especially Protestants and Catholics. Athough ...
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Whether aberration or heritage, the surge in organized religion during the 1950s and early 1960s still functions as the “gold standard” for many today, especially Protestants and Catholics. Athough there was still a common meta-narrative that many shared, giving stability to public and private life, it was soon to disintegrate. This seemingly idyllic picture also contained problems, which are discussed. The dramatic change in the ensuing years, especially during the later 1960s and beyond, as well as the parallel rise in conservative evangelicals and “nones” during the 1990s, is explored. The chapter refers to Robert Putnam’s work on the cultural shocks that promoted this change. It also discusses the rise in those disaffiliated and non-affiliated from religion. It looks more closely at the specifics about the “nones” and those who describe themselves “spiritual but not religious.”Less
Whether aberration or heritage, the surge in organized religion during the 1950s and early 1960s still functions as the “gold standard” for many today, especially Protestants and Catholics. Athough there was still a common meta-narrative that many shared, giving stability to public and private life, it was soon to disintegrate. This seemingly idyllic picture also contained problems, which are discussed. The dramatic change in the ensuing years, especially during the later 1960s and beyond, as well as the parallel rise in conservative evangelicals and “nones” during the 1990s, is explored. The chapter refers to Robert Putnam’s work on the cultural shocks that promoted this change. It also discusses the rise in those disaffiliated and non-affiliated from religion. It looks more closely at the specifics about the “nones” and those who describe themselves “spiritual but not religious.”
Linda A. Mercadante
- Published in print:
- 2014
- Published Online:
- April 2014
- ISBN:
- 9780199931002
- eISBN:
- 9780199367467
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199931002.003.0003
- Subject:
- Religion, Religion and Society
The interviewees are categorized according to age cohorts and types. Although there were few “nones” who volunteered to be interviewed from “The Greatest Generation” (1901?1924), there were many ...
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The interviewees are categorized according to age cohorts and types. Although there were few “nones” who volunteered to be interviewed from “The Greatest Generation” (1901?1924), there were many women and men who came forward from “The Silent Generation” (1925?1945), “The Baby Boomers” (1946?1964), “Gen X” (1965?1981), and “Millennials” (born after 1981). The most enthusiastic interviewees were Baby Boomers and women. Cutting across the generations were five distinct types: Dissenters (those who object to specific doctrines or practices in religion and have either left or drifted away), Casuals (those who take spirituality and religion on an “as-needed” basis), Explorers (those who have a spiritual “wanderlust,” like spiritual tourists), Seekers (those who are looking for a more or less permanent spiritual home), and Immigrants (those who are trying out a new religion or spirituality but, like immigrants, may be having difficulty adjusting). Examples and many illustrative quotes from each generation and type are given.Less
The interviewees are categorized according to age cohorts and types. Although there were few “nones” who volunteered to be interviewed from “The Greatest Generation” (1901?1924), there were many women and men who came forward from “The Silent Generation” (1925?1945), “The Baby Boomers” (1946?1964), “Gen X” (1965?1981), and “Millennials” (born after 1981). The most enthusiastic interviewees were Baby Boomers and women. Cutting across the generations were five distinct types: Dissenters (those who object to specific doctrines or practices in religion and have either left or drifted away), Casuals (those who take spirituality and religion on an “as-needed” basis), Explorers (those who have a spiritual “wanderlust,” like spiritual tourists), Seekers (those who are looking for a more or less permanent spiritual home), and Immigrants (those who are trying out a new religion or spirituality but, like immigrants, may be having difficulty adjusting). Examples and many illustrative quotes from each generation and type are given.
Linda A. Mercadante
- Published in print:
- 2014
- Published Online:
- April 2014
- ISBN:
- 9780199931002
- eISBN:
- 9780199367467
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199931002.003.0009
- Subject:
- Religion, Religion and Society
There is no simple explanation for why the people in this book have felt compelled to minimize the importance of organized religion. Among the many reasons, however, prior research has given ...
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There is no simple explanation for why the people in this book have felt compelled to minimize the importance of organized religion. Among the many reasons, however, prior research has given inadequate consideration to the belief factor. This book suggests the need for more awareness of the theological issues that are playing into the decrease in religious affiliation. Although there is diversity in the beliefs these interviewees hold, an underlying consensus appears to be developing and this bears further attention. There are important theological and practical implications that could spring from this developing ethos. The chapter suggests some possible outcomes and potential problems that could emerge which are especially relevant to four audiences: the “nones” who are “spiritual but not religious,” American society in general, American religion, and the church.Less
There is no simple explanation for why the people in this book have felt compelled to minimize the importance of organized religion. Among the many reasons, however, prior research has given inadequate consideration to the belief factor. This book suggests the need for more awareness of the theological issues that are playing into the decrease in religious affiliation. Although there is diversity in the beliefs these interviewees hold, an underlying consensus appears to be developing and this bears further attention. There are important theological and practical implications that could spring from this developing ethos. The chapter suggests some possible outcomes and potential problems that could emerge which are especially relevant to four audiences: the “nones” who are “spiritual but not religious,” American society in general, American religion, and the church.
Elizabeth Drescher
- Published in print:
- 2016
- Published Online:
- April 2016
- ISBN:
- 9780199341221
- eISBN:
- 9780190263331
- Item type:
- book
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199341221.001.0001
- Subject:
- Religion, Religion and Society
The growth of the so-called Nones—people unaffiliated with religious institutions—has captivated religious and political leaders concerned with the implications of a “decline of religion” in the ...
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The growth of the so-called Nones—people unaffiliated with religious institutions—has captivated religious and political leaders concerned with the implications of a “decline of religion” in the United States. But most Nones are not non-believers, most were raised in religious households, and many have robust spiritual lives that intertwine with the lives of the religiously affiliated. Choosing Our Religion explores the spiritual lives of Nones based on more than 100 intensive interviews across the United States and a survey of more than 1,000 religiously affiliated and unaffiliated Americans. Exploring the spiritual practices of Atheists, Agnostics, the Spiritual-But-Not-Religious, Humanists, “just spiritual” Nones, and those who describe their spiritual identities as “nothing in particular,” the book moves beyond the demographic data to bring to life what is now the fastest growing religious demographic in the country. As Nones tell their stories of engaging the spiritual in everyday life through relationships with family, friends, and nature; through reimagined practices of prayer; through the mentors, teachers, and other resources that inform and inspire their spiritualities; through their ethical outlooks and moral values; and through their nurturing of extra-institutional spiritualities in their children, a newly emerging spirituality is revealed: one that is reshaping what it means to be religious in America today for the unaffiliated and affiliated alike.Less
The growth of the so-called Nones—people unaffiliated with religious institutions—has captivated religious and political leaders concerned with the implications of a “decline of religion” in the United States. But most Nones are not non-believers, most were raised in religious households, and many have robust spiritual lives that intertwine with the lives of the religiously affiliated. Choosing Our Religion explores the spiritual lives of Nones based on more than 100 intensive interviews across the United States and a survey of more than 1,000 religiously affiliated and unaffiliated Americans. Exploring the spiritual practices of Atheists, Agnostics, the Spiritual-But-Not-Religious, Humanists, “just spiritual” Nones, and those who describe their spiritual identities as “nothing in particular,” the book moves beyond the demographic data to bring to life what is now the fastest growing religious demographic in the country. As Nones tell their stories of engaging the spiritual in everyday life through relationships with family, friends, and nature; through reimagined practices of prayer; through the mentors, teachers, and other resources that inform and inspire their spiritualities; through their ethical outlooks and moral values; and through their nurturing of extra-institutional spiritualities in their children, a newly emerging spirituality is revealed: one that is reshaping what it means to be religious in America today for the unaffiliated and affiliated alike.