Nonverts: The Making of Ex-Christian America w/ Stephen Bullivant | Ep. 1715

America’s religious exceptionalism is ending. For decades, sociologists puzzled over why the United States resisted the secularization that hollowed out Western Europe’s churches while American pews stayed full. That puzzle is now solved. According to sociologist Stephen Bullivant, the dam broke in the 1990s, and the flood of Americans abandoning Christianity has not stopped since. In his new book Nonverts: The Making of Ex-Christian America, Bullivant maps how the Baby Boomer generation triggered a collapse that is now reaching into communities once considered immune, including the Latter-day Saint tradition.

Background: The Delayed American Exodus

Bullivant, a former Catholic theologian turned sociologist of religion, told John Dehlin on Mormon Stories Podcast that the American story diverged sharply from Europe’s post-war trajectory. While British and continental churches emptied immediately after World War II, American religious institutions retained their grip through the 1960s and 1970s. The United States seemed to have found a formula for religious persistence that defied the secularization thesis.

That formula failed. Beginning in the late 1990s, survey data began capturing what Bullivant calls the "nonvert" phenomenon. These are Americans not merely switching denominations but exiting Christianity entirely. Many retain vague spiritual beliefs or land in the "none" category. The critical shift is the abandonment of Christian identity itself, a trend that has accelerated through the 2010s and shows no sign of reversal.

Key Claims: How Generations Unravel Faith

The generational mechanics of this collapse follow a predictable pattern. Bullivant identifies the Baby Boomers as the pivot point. This generation experienced unprecedented post-war prosperity, educational expansion, and cultural upheaval. Unlike their parents who maintained religious affiliation through social obligation, Boomers felt free to leave when belief faded.