US Faith in Decline: New Study Details ‘Staggering’ Rise of the Non-Religious

A new study published in America Magazine on June 26, 2025, offers compelling empirical evidence documenting a significant decline in traditional religious faith across the United States. Authored by prominent sociologist Christian Smith, the research titled “Why Religion Went Obsolete: The Demise of Traditional Faith in America” identifies a confluence of factors over the past four decades contributing to this profound shift.

Smith characterizes these observed changes in the American religious landscape as “staggering,” painting a picture of a nation increasingly distancing itself from established religious institutions and beliefs.

Factors Driving the Shift

The study points to several key societal transformations that have unfolded over the last forty years, each playing a role in the erosion of traditional faith structures. One significant factor identified is the end of the Cold War. This geopolitical shift, according to Smith, removed a unifying external threat that arguably reinforced traditional values and institutions, including religion.

Another powerful force cited is the rise of neoliberal capitalism. This economic paradigm, with its emphasis on market forces, competition, and individual achievement, has fostered an intensified work ethic among Americans. Smith suggests this focus on economic production and individual success has potentially diverted time, energy, and existential focus away from traditional religious practices and community engagement.

The rapid advancements of the digital revolution also feature prominently in Smith’s analysis. The proliferation of digital technologies, the internet, and social media has not only consumed increasing amounts of time and attention that might have once been dedicated to religious activities but has also offered alternative forms of community and identity formation outside of traditional religious congregations.

Furthermore, the study highlights the growing emphasis on multicultural values in education. Smith posits that educational systems increasingly prioritizing diverse perspectives and secular understandings of the world may have subtly, or overtly, challenged or marginalized traditional religious frameworks for understanding reality and morality among younger generations.

The Changing Nature of Spirituality

One of the more nuanced observations in Smith’s work is what he terms an “ironic migration” of the concept of a “personal relationship with God.” This idea, once strongly associated with evangelical Protestantism and often understood within a communal and institutional context, has, according to the study, increasingly migrated towards a more diffuse, individualistic spirituality.

Smith argues that this emphasis on individual subjectivity in spiritual matters has, paradoxically, contributed to the decline of traditional religion. When faith is viewed primarily as a private, personal experience detached from communal obligations, doctrinal adherence, and institutional participation, the impetus to engage with or remain within traditional religious structures diminishes.

Empirical Indicators and “Staggering” Data

The study provides clear empirical indicators underpinning its findings on the decline of traditional faith. Data cited within the America Magazine article reveals a dramatic increase in the number of American adults who identify as having no religious affiliation. This group, often referred to as the “nones,” grew from just 7% of the U.S. adult population in 1991 to 29% in 2021.

The trend is even more pronounced among younger Americans. Among adults aged 18 to 29, the percentage identifying as not religious surged even more dramatically, reaching 43% in 2021. These figures, covering a span of three decades, are the basis for Smith’s characterization of the changes as “staggering.”

The “Spiritual but Not Religious” Phenomenon

The research also touches upon the population segment identifying as “spiritual but not religious” (SBNR). While acknowledging the inherent difficulty in precisely measuring this group due to varied self-definitions and lack of clear institutional markers, the study suggests its significant presence in the American landscape.

Based on data from the early 21st century, Smith’s study indicates that approximately one in four American adults identify in this manner. This large segment further underscores the movement away from traditional religious identification, even among those who still hold beliefs or engage in practices they consider spiritual.

Politics as a Quasi-Religion

Beyond the decline of traditional religious identity, Smith offers another compelling observation: the “sacralization” of American politics. He suggests that in the vacuum left by declining religious adherence, political beliefs and affiliations have taken on increasing quasi-religious importance for many Americans.

According to Smith, both the political left and the right in the United States have imbued their respective ideologies, figures, and causes with a fervor, certainty, and moral weight previously reserved for religious faith. This trend potentially means that political engagement, rather than religious participation, now fulfills some of the existential, communal, and moral needs for a growing number of individuals.

In sum, Christian Smith’s study, as reported in America Magazine, presents a robust, data-driven account of the decline of traditional religious faith in America over the past four decades, attributing it to complex societal shifts and highlighting the rise of non-affiliation and the changing nature of spirituality and even political engagement.