Leavers, Yearners, and Returners - First Things

Leavers, Yearners, and Returners - First Things

You could fill a small library with books from the last twenty years devoted to the erosion of religious belief and practice among Americans, particularly belief in Christianity. And in addition to all of these books, there have been countless articles, surveys, interviews, and more, telling the same story of relentless decline. When I read this stuff, I experience a range of emotions: deep sadness, yes, but also irritation at the smugness of ma…