S01E12 - Invisible Secularity: American Theism Beyond Belief

This article, "Invisible secularity: American theism beyond belief," argues that traditional social indicators like church attendance and religious affiliation actually mask a more profound decline in personal religiosity in the United States. Utilizing data from the Baylor Religion Survey (2005–2021) and the General Social Survey (1972–2022), Voas demonstrates that even among Americans who continue to identify as religious, the substance, strength, salience, and stability of theistic belief are steadily eroding across generations. The research highlights a significant shift away from an "authoritative God"—one perceived as personally engaged and judgmental—toward views of God as distant, indifferent, or nonexistent. Furthermore, the study challenges the notion that alternative spirituality is filling the void left by organized religion, finding instead that the "spiritual but not religious" population has plateaued and that the religiously unaffiliated ("nones") are becoming increasingly secular over time. Ultimately, Voas concludes that this "invisible secularity" represents a genuine cultural shift where God has become less central to how individuals understand their lives and moral authorityFull Citation:Voas, David. 2025. "Invisible Secularity: American Theism Beyond Belief." Social Forces 104(1): 366-385.