Is There Really a Religious Revival? with Sociologist Mark Chaves

Is religion in America disappearing—or are we secretly in the middle of a revival? Sociologist Mark Chaves has spent decades studying what Americans actually believe and how our religious lives are changing. He joins Kate to separate the headlines from the data: why religious decline is real but slow, what we misunderstand about young people and faith, why megachurches keep getting bigger, and what we might lose when our institutions disappear. Show Notes American Religion: Contemporary Trends, Second Edition — Mark Chaves’s book on changing patterns in American religious belief and practice. National Congregations Study — The long-running study of American congregations directed by Mark Chaves. Why Conservative Churches Are Growing — Dean M. Kelley’s 1972 book, discussed in the episode in relation to the idea that stricter churches are stronger. Kate Bowler on Substack — More blessings and reflections from Kate. Kate Bowler on YouTube — Watch full episodes of Everything Happens.