The United States is unique among countries in the developed world for its high levels of religious participation. The wave of secularization that swept through Europe in the 20th century seemed to pass our country by. In recent years, however, signs of secularization have started reaching our shores.

In this episode I talk with Mark Chaves, a professor of sociology at Duke University, about the recent trends and changes in American religion. I ask Mark about the rise of the “nones,” political polarization in the churches, the collapse of mainline Protestantism, and many other topics related to American religion.