New sociological research shows that while many young adults are leaving organized religious institutions, they are not abandoning spirituality or belief. Instead, they're practicing their faith in more personal, values-driven ways—a phenomenon the authors call "DIY faith."
That's the focus of a new article in Contexts, the public-facing sociology magazine of the American Sociological Association (ASA). DIY Faith, written by sociologists Landon Schnabel (Cornell University), Ilana M. Horwitz (Tulane University), Peyman Hekmatpour (Oklahoma State University–Tulsa), and Cyrus Schleifer (University of Oklahoma), draws on a decade-long survey and interview data from the National Study of Youth and Religion, following young Americans from adolescence into early adulthood.
The authors explain that:
- The rise of religious "nones" reflects disengagement from institutions, not indifference to meaning, morality, or the sacred.
- Religious service attendance and formal affiliation decline sharply between the teenage years and the mid-twenties.
- Belief in God and private prayer remain comparatively stable, and alternative spiritual practices such as meditation increase over time.
The findings challenge conventional narratives of secularization and suggest the need for new ways of thinking about religious change. They also shed light on broader social patterns, as the same values reshaping religion are influencing how young adults relate to institutions across society, from workplaces to politics.
The authors note that many young adults experience growing conflict between their personal values and the authority of institutional religion—especially around LGBTQ inclusion, gender equality, reproductive rights, and political polarization. Interviewees frequently describe churches and other religious organizations as overly rigid, politicized, or judgmental, and at odds with the compassion and integrity those institutions seem to espouse. They say that those who leave are often seriously religious and highly knowledgeable about faith traditions. For many religious "nones," departure is framed not as rejection of belief, but as a values-based decision to live authentically.
During an interview with ASA's ASR podcast host Madison Austin, Schnabel stated that young people "aren't rejecting spirituality or faith, they're rejecting religious institutions ... young people were making deliberate, principled choices to step away from organized religion." So, it seems young people are leaving the churches they were raised in, as well as rejecting organized religion as a whole.
The rise of 'DIY faith'
Instead of abandoning spirituality, the study revealed that many young adults are creating DIY faith.
"When young adults leave religious institutions," the authors state, "they don't leave empty handed. They take moral frameworks, spiritual insights, and commitments to meaning and community—and use them to build something new."
The new spirituality may include personalized belief systems, spiritual practices integrated into daily life, the blending of traditions across religious and cultural boundaries, and the seeking of community through informal networks and digital platforms. Online media, podcasts, social networks, and popular culture play an increasingly important role in spiritual exploration and community building beyond traditional congregations. The authors argue that current changes reflect a historical pattern: periods of rigid institutional authority often spawn movements emphasizing personal, experiential spirituality.
