Byron Johnson (Baylor & Pepperdine) & Thomas Kidd (Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary), The Death of Religion?: Nones, Others, and the Flourishing of Faith (2026):
The common media and scholarly story—especially with the rise of people who don’t identify with any religion—suggests that religion in America is in serious decline. In The Death of Religion?: Nones, Others, and the Flourishing of Faith, Byron R. Johnson and Tommy Kidd strongly challenge this view.
In this work, they argue that the idea of religion’s decline has been greatly exaggerated and that survey data can often be misleading or incomplete. Their approach is to show that faith is actually healthier and more active than many believe, and that it continues to play a vital role in a thriving society. To support this claim, Johnson and Kidd use recent data from the Global Flourishing Study. This research provides valuable insights into patterns of religious commitment both nationally and worldwide, helping readers understand that faith remains an important factor in human well-being and societal flourishing.
For years, headlines have declared the death of religion. But what if we’ve been misreading the data? In The Death of Religion?, Byron Johnson and Thomas Kidd dismantle the myth of decline. Drawing on the largest-ever Global Flourishing Study, which tracked 200,000 people across 22 countries, they show how faith continues to shape lives, communities, and nations—even in places where belief seems to be fading. Their research reveals a different story: that faith still steadies people and communities in ways often overlooked. And yet this is not a book about nostalgia or loss. It is a clear-eyed look at the evidence and a reminder that human flourishing depends not on the survival of old institutions but on the spiritual vitality that keeps renewing them. In a time when cynicism has become a kind of creed, Johnson and Kidd bring an uncommon mix of clear thinking and moral seriousness to a story too often misunderstood.
—Jon Clifton, CEO, Gallup
Byron Johnson Explores the Myth of Declining Faith in New Book “The Death of Religion?”:
Drawing on recent findings from the Global Flourishing Study—a multiyear initiative examining human and societal well-being—Johnson and Kidd contend that claims of widespread religious decline are overstated. They argue that conventional survey data often overlooks key subtleties in respondents’ statements, resulting in conclusions that misrepresent the truth. Their research demonstrates that faith remains resilient and deeply influential, continuing to strengthen communities and foster individual wellness.
In The Death of Religion?, the authors stress consistent links between active faith practice and positive health outcomes, particularly as loneliness and mental health struggles rise nationwide. Their evidence shows that individuals engaged in faith communities report stronger social networks, higher life satisfaction, and greater overall flourishing. Crucially, the book uncovers an intriguing trend: religiously active young adults in the United States flourish at higher rates than their nonreligious peers. Johnson and Kidd frame this finding as a compelling counternarrative to prevailing assumptions about younger generations, illustrating how faith serves as a stabilizing force in today’s fragmented cultural landscape.
“While there has been a trending narrative that religion and faith are declining, our research reveals a much more resilient reality,” explained Johnson. “Drawing on data from many sources, including research findings from the Global Flourishing Study, we demonstrate that active faith practice remains a profound catalyst for human well-being.” He added, “It is vital to share these findings because they illuminate how religion continues to be a powerful force for enhancing human well-being by helping people find meaning and purpose, character and virtue, hope, and close social relationships.”
Washington Post Awakenings: Believe It or Not, Religion Isn’t Declining, by Byron Johnson (Baylor & Pepperdine) & Thomas Kidd (Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary):
One of the most persistent news stories about religion in recent years has been the decline of Christianity and the rise of the “nones,” or people who have no religion in particular. The nones narrative suggests that American Christianity is in free fall. One headline in recent weeks announced that even young Latinos, part of what is often regarded as one of the most religious ethnic groups, are “abandoning churches to be ‘nones.’”
Look closer, however, and you can find data suggesting that Christianity is flourishing. Some signs indicate that young American men are attending church more than they did in previous generations. High-profile intellectuals such as Ayaan Hirsi Ali, who was one of the leading figures of the New Atheist movement, have publicly announced their conversion to Christianity. And even the Pew Research Center, a chief promoter of the nones story, has admitted that the nones have plateaued at less than 30 percent of respondents.
What is really happening? Rather than experiencing simple growth or decline, American religion is in a state of churn. Some sectors are falling fast, while others show phenomenal growth.
Throughout history, Americans have routinely misinterpreted religious change as decline. Headlines about the demise of faith may be attention-grabbing, but they conceal a more complicated and interesting reality.
What are the key factors behind the confusion about religious change? One is an overreaction to the rise of the nones. Today, more Americans claim adherence to no religion than did in the late 20th century. A generation ago, more adults would have said they were Christians even if they had no connection to a church. … [T]he number of self-identified Christians today remains more than twice the combined total of nones, atheists and agnostics. …
A final reason for the confusion about spiritual decay is that progressive denominations are in a virtual state of collapse. Nominal religiosity is becoming a thing of the past. But evangelical, Pentecostal and immigrant-focused nondenominational ministries are rallying from behind. This helps explain why the growth of the nones has come to a stop. American religion is changing fast. That’s the way it’s always been in America’s dynamic spiritual marketplace.
Religion News Service: The Global Rise of Unhappiness and How Religion Can Reverse the Trend, by Byron Johnson (Baylor & Pepperdine) & Thomas Kidd (Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary):
Young people are facing an epidemic of despair, but data shows religious community is an antidote.
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