The nones and the nondenoms : toward a dualistic theory of decentralized religious authority.

The dramatic increase in the number of Americans who now report no religious affiliation (the “nones”) is presented as evidence of the process of secularization. At the same time, increases in the number of Americans affiliated with non-denominational churches (the “nondenoms”) suggests that a religious revitalization may be underway. In this paper, I present findings from the 2021 GSS and 2020 Religion Census to argue that these two trends stem from a common source: the decentralization of religious authority. Specifically, I argue that larger cultural shifts toward hyper-individualism and a growing distrust of institutions have led many Americans to exit traditional denominations in record numbers. In turn, the nones and the nondenoms, while representing opposite secularization expectations, are actually similar in their rejection of denominational traditions. My proposed Theory of Decentralized Religious Authority expands on these trends to formally hypothesize what should occur in a religious market in which more people are losing their faith in traditional religious institutions.