S01E30 - Varieties of Nonreligious Experience: Expanding Understandings of Nonreligious Wellbeing

Jacqui Frost, Penny Edgell, and Mahala Miller's 2025 article, "Varieties of Nonreligious Experience: Expanding Understandings of Nonreligious Wellbeing," challenges the assumption that religious decline inevitably leads to diminished health and happiness by examining the diverse internal and social experiences of nonreligious Americans. Utilizing data from a 2020 national survey, the researchers find that affective orientation—whether an individual feels comfort, anxiety, or neutrality regarding their nonreligion—is the most significant predictor of wellbeing, with those finding comfort or remaining affectively neutral reporting levels of life satisfaction and health comparable to religious individuals. The study highlights that while recent "nones" often experience temporary anxiety stemming from the stress of role transition, "always" nonreligious individuals maintain high wellbeing, and regular participation in secular organizations provides social support correlates that mimic the health-promoting benefits of religious attendance. Ultimately, the authors argue that identity coherence and community belonging are vital secular resources that sustain wellbeing across the diverse spectrum of nonreligious life.Full citation:Frost, Jacqui, Penny Edgell, and Mahala Miller. 2025. "Varieties of Nonreligious Experience: Expanding Understandings of Nonreligious Wellbeing." Sociology of Health & Illness 47(5) e70060.