Episode 174: Who Are "The Nones" and Why Does It Matter? [Part 2] with Dr. Ryan Burge

<p>According to the General Social Survey, there has been a dramatic increase in the rise of the religiously non-affiliated in the U.S. since 1972. Who are the Nones? What do they believe? Are they atheists? Agnostics? What does the data from the GSS suggest is happening to the religious practices and affiliations in the U.S. today? </p><p><br></p><p>This week, we continue our conversation with pastor and assistant professor of political science at Eastern Illinois University Dr. Ryan Burge, whose research with the GSS and the Nones has been covered by <em>The New York Times, The Washington Post, CNN, NBC, Vox, 538, BuzzFeed News,  the Associated Press, Newsweek, Al-Jazeera, Reuters, Christianity Today, Religion News Service, The Daily Mail, Deseret News, World Magazine, Relevant, and C-SPAN. </em>Ryan breaks down the data on the Nones for us and what it might for the present and future of religion in the U.S. </p><p><br></p><p><strong>ADDITIONAL RESOURCES</strong>:</p><ul> <li>Watchman Fellowship's 4-page Profile on <strong>Atheism</strong> by Robert M. Bowman: <a href="https://www.watchman.org/Atheism">watchman.org/Atheism</a> </li> <li>Watchman Fellowship's 4-page Profile on <strong>Agnosticism</strong> by W. Russell Crawford: <a href="https://www.watchman.org/scientism">watchman.org/Agnostic</a> </li> <li>Ryan Burge's website and book, <em>The Nones: Where They Came From, Who They Are, and Where They Are Going</em>: <a href="http://ryanburge.net/">http://ryanburge.net/</a> </li> </ul><p><strong>Dr. Ryan Burge</strong> is an assistant professor of political science at Eastern Illinois University, where also serves as the graduate coordinator. He has authored over thirty peer-reviewed articles and book chapters alongside four books about religion and politics in the United States. He written for the New York Times, and the Wall Street Journal. He has also appeared in an NBC Documentary, on Full Frontal with Samantha Bee, as well as 60 Minutes which called him, “one of the country’s leading data analyst