The ground beneath American religion is shifting, but not in a straight line. We dig into why the country’s casual middle is shrinking while conviction grows at the edges—among communities that ask more, not less. With Charles Murray and Terry Mattingley, we trace the data on mainline decline, the plateau of the “nones,” and the surprising surge in tradition-forward spaces where authority, discipline, and community still shape everyday life.

We share stories of parishes packed with young families, churches doubling in size, and the blunt metrics that signal real health: marriages, infant baptisms, converts, and the courage to pursue priestly and pastoral vocations. We also confront the cultural currents pulling people away from depth—screen addiction, self-curated spirituality, and institutions that trade doctrine for vague activism. This isn’t a nostalgia tour; it’s a sober look at what actually sustains faith communities and why some pews fill while others empty.

Then we turn to the frontier where science and meaning meet. From fine-tuning in cosmology to open debates about consciousness, we explore how modern research sometimes reopens questions many thought were closed. That’s helping restore intellectual space for belief among scholars and professionals who once stayed silent. As cultural flashpoints force practical choices—about family, education, and fairness in sports—the so‑called muddy middle faces a reckoning. The future seems clearest where belief makes demands and communities deliver belonging.

Join us for a candid, data-aware tour of America’s religious present and near future. If this conversation challenged or encouraged you, follow the show, share it with a friend, and leave a quick review so more curious listeners can find us.

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The Center for Demographics and Policy focuses on research and analysis of global, national, and regional demographic trends and explores policies that might produce favorable demographic results over time. It involves Chapman students in demographic research under the supervision of the Center’s senior staff.

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For additional information, please contact Mahnaz Asghari, Associate Director for the Center for Demographics and Policy, at (714) 744-7635 or [email protected].

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This show is presented by the Chapman Center for Demographics and Policy, which focuses on research and analysis of global, national and regional demographic trends and explores policies that might produce favorable demographic results over time.