While 84% of the world’s population still affiliates with a faith of some sort, there are clear indicators that people in the United States and elsewhere are abandoning religion. This shift toward secularization may have significant social and psychological consequences, because religion is often linked to better mental health, stronger social ties, and increased rates of marriage and childbearing. This report examines who and how many are leaving religion, which faiths are most affected by disaffiliation, individual and social consequences of a decline in religiosity, and factors increasing the likelihood of returning to faith.
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About the Authors
Stephen Cranney is a data scientist with a PhD in demography and sociology from the University of Pennsylvania.
Justin Dyer is a Wheatley Institute Fellow and Professor of Religious Education at Brigham Young University, with a PhD in human and community development from the University of Illinois.
Sam Hardy is a Professor of Psychology at Brigham Young University, with a PhD in developmental psychology from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.
Paul Lambert is the Religion Initiative Director at Wheatley Institute, with a PhD in Liberal Studies from Georgetown University.
Loren Marks is co-director of the American Families of Faith project, author, and Professor at the School of Family life at Brigham Young University, with a PhD from the University of Delaware.