“The Death of Polite Religion and the Future of America”

Have you ever wondered why American religion seems so caustic and polarized?

Using five decades of social science survey data, Dr. Ryan Burge charts how and why the American religious landscape has changed. The discussion will focus on the collapse of the mainline, the perpetual strength of American evangelicalism, and the dramatic rise of the nones. Additionally, Dr. Burge will help attendees think about ways to make their own congregations less polarized and homogeneous as a means to transform not only their congregation but also their community.

About Dr. Ryan Burge

Dr. Ryan Burge is an associate professor of political science at Eastern Illinois University. He is the author or co-author of four books including The Nones, 20 Myths about Religion and Politics in America, and The Great Dechurching. He has written for the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal and POLITICO. He has also appeared on 60 Minutes, where Anderson Cooper called him, “one of the leading data analysts of religion and politics in the United States.” He has been a pastor of an American Baptist Church for over seventeen years. Additionally, he writes posts every Monday and Thursday for Graphs about Religion.