Think Biblically: Conversations on Faith & Culture Why Religion Went Obsolete (with Christian Smith)
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Jul 23, 2025 
In this engaging discussion, Christian Smith, a prominent sociologist and religious scholar from Notre Dame, explores the decline of traditional faith in America. He outlines how cultural shifts since the 1990s have rendered religion increasingly irrelevant, particularly among younger generations. Smith delves into the impact of the digital age on beliefs and authority, and warns of the societal consequences of growing religious disaffiliation—like isolation and mental distress—highlighting the need for community support in a changing landscape.
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Traditional Religion's Obsolescence
- Traditional religion in America has become culturally obsolete, especially among post-boomers.
- It is less relevant to many people's lives, not necessarily worse or useless, but superseded by other cultural values.
Measuring Religious Decline
- Multiple measures show significant decline in traditional religious practice and trust since the 1990s.
- Belief in afterlife remains stable but varies widely in meaning among Americans.
Roots of Religious Decline
- Most causes of religious decline are deep, unintended cultural trends rather than active anti-religious forces.
- Traditional religion has contributed more to its own decline than external critics have.
