Ryan Burge | The Rise and Fall of Institutions

Data shows that Americans’ trust in institutions, including organized religion, is at an all-time low. What are the implications for churches and faith in America? And, how can churches rebuild lost trust?

In Today’s Conversation hosted by NAE President Walter Kim, Ryan Burge, assistant professor of political science at Eastern Illinois University, shares his research on the rise and fall of institutions in America. Together they also explore what leaders can do to usher in institutional renewal, particularly through faithful Christian presence and serving the least of these.

You’ll also learn:

• When institutional mistrust and cynicism began to take root;
• How humility, transparency and communication combat cynical attitudes;
• What guidance the Bible offers in this moment; and
• How churches and other institutions can labor toward renewal.

Read a Portion of the Transcript

Walter: There’s other data that indicates that in past generations there was a decline [in religious attendance] as people were post-college or achieving independence, but there was a return when families started to be constituted, kids came into the picture and there was a desire for more formation. Yet, it seems like both the decline is precipitous and more than the normal decline we have had in the past, and the context is perhaps more complicated than it had been. Are folks going to be returning or not?

Ryan: The answer is no, and there’s no way to sugarcoat that. It’s called the life-cycle theory, which I’ve written about, where you start out really religious when you’re a kid because your parents make you go to church, and you become less religious in your late teens and early twenties because while in college. Then, you move into your late twenties and early thirties and you get married, have kids and get settled down and you want your kids to have the same sort of moral compass that you had, so you go back to church. That worked with the Boomers … but we are not seeing that with the Millennials and Generation Z.

Data shows that every birth cohort — or five-year birth window — is more likely to be nonreligious today than it was 14 or 15 years ago. So, every group is leaving religion, even among conservatives and Republicans, the group that’s typically tied to religion. They are becoming less religious at the same time. It’s everyone. Everyone is less religious today than they were 15 or 20 years ago.

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Relevant Resources

• Read Ryan’s books:
  • “The Nones: Where They Came From, Who They Are, and Where They Are Going”
  • “20 Myths About Religion and Politics in America”
• Check Ryan’s article, “Trust is Waning in One Key Area.”
• Read this Gallup article by Jeffrey Jones, “Confidence in U.S. Institutions Down; Average at New Low.”

Today’s Conversation is brought to you by Christianity Today.

Ryan Burge currently serves as assistant professor of political science at Eastern Illinois University where he teaches about American institutions, political behavior and research methods. Also a researcher, Burge focuses primarily on the study of the interaction between religion and politics. He has authored over 20 peer reviewed journal articles and is the author of several books, including: “The Nones: Where They Came From, Who They Are, and Where They Are Going” and “20 Myths About Religion and Politics in America.” Burge also has served as a pastor in the America Baptist Church for over 15 years. He graduated from Southern Illinois University—Carbondale with his doctorate of philosophy.

Walter Kim became the president of the National Association of Evangelicals in January 2020. He previously served as a pastor at Boston’s historic Park Street Church and at churches in Vancouver, Canada and Charlottesville, Virginia, as well as a campus chaplain at Yale University. He preaches, writes and engages in collaborative leadership to connect the Bible to the intellectual and cultural issues of the day. He regularly teaches in conferences and classrooms; addresses faith concerns with elected officials and public institutions; and provides theological and cultural commentary to leading news outlets. He serves on the boards of Christianity Today and World Relief and consults with a wide range of organizations. Kim received his Ph.D. from Harvard University in Near Eastern Languages and Civilizations, his M.Div. from Regent College in Vancouver, and his B.A. from Northwestern University.