Relevant Magazine

The Decline of Religion May Be Over. What Happens Next Is More Complicated

The Decline of Religion May Be Over. What Happens Next Is More Complicated

Thursday, June 4, 2026
For nearly two decades, the story of faith in America seemed settled: church attendance was sliding, religious affiliation was shrinking and young adults were walking away from the churches that shaped their childhoods. The rise of the “nones” became one of the defining religious stories of the century, shorthand for a generation that hadn’t necessarily…