A new paper promoted by the Pew Research Centre describes what it says are the three stages of religious decline in countries around the world.
In the first stage, people let go of aspects of religion that require more time and resources — things such as attending services. Next, they shed beliefs, partly because they are no longer being reinforced (or policed) in religious settings.
The last thing to go is identity. People may not attend services or even believe in religious doctrines anymore, but they still call themselves Christians, Muslims, Jews, Hindus or Buddhist. The authors suggest religious identity hangs on longer since it isn’t burdensome; it doesn’t require anything in the way of time, devotion or resources.
According to the authors, religion starts strong in rural and agrarian societies. As societies modernize and urbanize, and people become more educated, reliance on religious authority decreases.
Generational change also drives the shift; each generation tends to be less religious than the previous one, as does religious diversity.
And the transition from religious to less religious happens no matter what major religion is dominant in a country — Christian, Muslim, Hindu or Buddhist. Some countries are further along (e.g. in Europe), others have further to go (e.g. the U.S.). Canada is near the end of the second stage.
Read more in my Free Press column.
