Sure, many of us are shedding our connections to traditional, organized religion. But who says this indicates a movement backward?

 

Is it not a movement forward, where members of contemporary society are consciously delineating, exploring and questioning their beliefs? Is it not a movement forward that we’re empowered to do these things, because we have the freedom to do so and because this is exactly what American culture values?

 

The fact is, there’s no simple answer to what the Fate of Faith in America will be.

 

 

But if we had to estimate it, we'd say that:

 

I. Hard lines of how to approach religion and spirituality will continue to be blurred. Religion will become more and more flexible, both in its prioritization and the role it plays in our lives.

 

II. Religion and spirituality will continue to exist on a pick-and-choose basis, in terms of content and the ways we practice. Individuals will capitalize on their freedom to believe in certain aspects of whatever they want and will practice those however they wish. Independent thought and action will continue to thrive.

 

III. The trend of younger generations becoming increasingly unaffiliated will continue, but levels of spirituality will always remain steady. Although religion is malleable, the yearning to a) create meaning in our lives, b) feel a sense of wonder and awe in our lives and c) question how we got here in the first place is an innate aspect of the human experience that will persist until the end of time.