“Ryan is a skilled and influential analyst of data about American religion, and in this book he brings years of research to bear on sketching out the contours of a church broken in half by polarization. With churches shifting to political and theological extremes, moderate Christians are left without faith communities to call home. The questions Ryan raises about political extremes and the fortunes of faith in America are some of the most critical questions of our time, and the answers he provides, though bracing, offer some room for hope.”—Elizabeth Bruenig, staff writer for The Atlantic
“Ryan Burge is my go-to source for data and analysis about religion in America, but his understanding goes far beyond statistics. He recognizes how the dramatic shifts in beliefs and congregations over the last thirty years have spilled over into every part of our culture, including politics, and this book will help those without much religious literacy understand the importance of these often-overlooked trends. Burge has also seen these changes up close as a pastor, and he brings that lived wisdom into his writing.”—Skye Jethani, cofounder and editor in chief of Holy Post Media
“When it comes to forecasting and analyzing demographic trends in American religion, there’s no one I trust more than Ryan Burge. In The Vanishing Church, he offers a sobering and data-rich portrait of a religious center that is rapidly disappearing. Even those who don’t share all his theological conclusions will find indispensable this book’s insights into polarization, pastoral fatigue, civic loss, and what the future of the American church will mean for all of us.”—Russell Moore, editor in chief of Christianity Today; author of Losing Our Religion: An Altar Call for Evangelical America
“In The Vanishing Church, Ryan Burge delivers exemplary and balanced research that confirms some of our deepest hunches about the state of churches today while also upending assumptions we didn’t realize we held. With clarity and compassion, he invites us into a more honest understanding of faith in America today. Most powerfully, Burge encourages Jesus followers to resist the pull of extremes and to authentically pursue the flourishing of both the church and our nation.”—Kara Powell, chief of leadership formation, Fuller Seminary; coauthor of Future-Focused Church