This article tackles a provocative question: do scholars’ own religious beliefs influence the conclusions they reach about secularization? The authors build a large dataset of researchers who study religious change and link survey data on their personal religiosity to the findings reported in their publications. The results show a clear pattern: more religious scholars are less likely to believe in the secularization thesis and less likely to report evidence for it in their research, while more secular scholars are more likely to support it. The study suggests that the long-running debate over secularization may reflect not just evidence about religion’s decline, but also the beliefs of the scholars studying it.

(Citation: Rainero, V., Stolz, J., & Luijkx, R. (2026). The Faith Factor. How Scholars’ Religiosity Biases Research Findings on Secularization. Sociological Science, 13, 154–177. https://doi.org/10.15195/v13.a7)

This article examines why Israeli Jewish atheists still circumcise their sons. Drawing on interviews with 30 self-identified atheists, the study finds that the decision is rarely about religious belief. Instead, parents frame circumcision as a cultural, social, and bodily marker of Jewish belonging. Many participants express emotional ambivalence—sometimes even regret—but still proceed because of social expectations, family pressure, medical rationalizations, or a desire to connect their children to Jewish identity and history. The findings suggest that religious traditions can persist even without faith, functioning as embodied cultural practices that signal membership, continuity, and shared peoplehood rather than theological commitment.

(Citation: Friedman, T. (2025). Embodying Tradition and Ascribing Meaning: Israeli Jewish Atheists Choosing to Circumcise Their Sons. Journal for the Scientific Study of Religion, 64(4), 442–454. https://doi.org/10.1111/jssr.12964)

This research article investigates whether declining religiosity in the United States leads to a decrease in charitable giving. By analyzing data from the 2023 Panel Study of Income Dynamics, the authors compare the philanthropic habits of religious individuals against atheists, agnostics, and "nones." The findings indicate that while nonreligious people are significantly less likely to donate to religious organizations, they contribute to secular charities at rates similar to their religious counterparts. Once demographic factors like income, wealth, and education are controlled, religious affiliation becomes a negligible predictor of how much or how often someone gives to non-sectarian causes. The study concludes that the ongoing secularization of society does not pose a threat to the health of the secular nonprofit sector. Ultimately, the authors suggest that secular individuals are motivated by the same prosocial values as religious believers, ensuring that total generosity remains high even as church attendance falls. (Citation: Cragun, R. T., Rodriguez, A., Smith, J., & Speed, D. (2026). Religiosity is Declining BUT Giving is Increasing: Can the Nonreligious Really Be Less Generous? Secularism and Nonreligion, 15(1). https://doi.org/10.5334/snr.164)

This research article by Lucy Elizabeth Potter examines the intersection of apostasy and forced migration, focusing on the emotional journeys of individuals who leave religion in restrictive societies. Through interviews and policy analysis, the author highlights the psychological strain involved in renouncing a faith and the subsequent struggle to prove a non-religious identity during the UK’s asylum process. She argues that Refugee Status Determination procedures often lack the framework to recognize the internal, invisible nature of atheism, frequently leading to a "culture of disbelief." This creates significant barriers to protection for apostates, who must perform "emotional legibility" to satisfy bureaucratic requirements for credibility. Ultimately, the study advocates for a more empathetic, trauma-informed approach that acknowledges the unique challenges faced by non-religious refugees seeking safety. (Full Citation: Potter, L. E. (2026). Becoming Non-Religious: Exploring the Emotional Experiences of Apostasy and Refugee Status Determination. Secularism and Nonreligion, 15(1). https://doi.org/10.5334/snr.232)