Sociologist and professor Dr. Christian Smith discusses his recent book, "Why Religion Went Obsolete: The Demise of Traditional Faith in America". We discuss the reasons for the decline of faith in a traditionally Christian nation, the seeming recent revival of faith among the younger generation, and what these developments mean for the future of religion in America.

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EPISODE CHAPTERS

00:00:00 Introduction

00:00:13 How do we define religion?

00:05:44 In what sense has religion gone obsolete?

00:09:13 Why has religion gone obsolete?

00:18:52 Is religion trending downward worldwide?

00:21:20 The internet's role in undermining religion

00:25:43 The "cringy-ness" of online religious outreach

00:28:11 The legacy of the New Atheists

00:32:01 The role conservative politics has played

00:37:33 Does this mean Americans are atheists?

00:46:50 The advance of science did not cause religious decline

00:50:26 The negative impact of creationism

00:54:01 Homosexuality and abortion as the ride-or-die issues

01:02:09 A revival of faith among American youth?

01:10:20 Does religion have a future?