Think Biblically: Conversations on Faith & Culture The American Religious Landscape (with Ryan Burge)
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Dec 23, 2025 
Ryan Burge, a religious demographer and author, shares insights on America's ever-shifting religious landscape. He discusses the current state of evangelicalism, highlighting an age gap that threatens its future. Burge also explores the growth patterns of various religious groups, including the stable yet dwindling Catholic attendance and the cultural significance of Black Protestant churches. He emphasizes the importance of nurturing faith in younger generations and posits a future where Christians and non-religious individuals may be nearly equal in population.
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America's Unique Religious Mix
- The U.S. is uniquely both very religious and very wealthy compared to other countries.
- That combination plus no state church created a vigorous religious marketplace, Ryan Burge explains.
Evangelicalism Is Baby Boomer-Led
- Evangelicalism in America is heavily concentrated among baby boomers, creating a demographic cliff.
- Many churches risk substantial decline as older members age without a younger replacement, Ryan Burge warns.
Revival Metrics vs. Real Attendance
- Revival indicators (Bible sales, streams, app downloads) rose but don't equal weekly attendance gains.
- A small national attendance bump would require millions of new weekly attenders and large growth at nearly every church, Burge notes.