The New Secular Boom? Religion, Politics, and the Backfire Effect
October 15, 2025
4:00 PM
Topic *
The IRS recently confirmed it will not investigate preachers who endorse political candidates from the pulpit�a major development in the Christian Right�s push to dismantle the wall between church and state. While intended to strengthen Christianity�s influence, this move may accelerate the very trend they hope to reverse: the steady growth of secularism in America. Today, roughly 30% of Americans are non-religious, many of them former Christians, and most oppose political preaching. Surveys from Pew and PRRI show overwhelming public disapproval of churches endorsing candidates, especially among the non-religious. Dr. Juhem Navarro-Rivera will explore how these political overreaches could spark renewed secular activism and even a new wave of religious disaffiliation. Join us for a data-driven look at the backfire effect that may shape the future of religion and politics in the United States.
Dr. Juhem Navarro-Rivera is a leading expert in the demographics and politics of non-religious Americans. He is the managing partner at Socioanal�tica Research, a research and analysis firm designing projects for Progressive nonprofits. Dr. Navarro-Rivera is the author of the Secular Politics Newsletter, where he explores the intersection of secularism and politics. With a Ph.D. in political science from the University of Connecticut, Dr. Navarro-Rivera has made significant contributions to the field. He has been an integral member of several renowned research projects, including the 2008 American Religious Identification Survey, PRRI�s American Values Atlas, Socioanalitica Research�s Secular Voices Survey, American Atheists� US Secular Survey, and UCSB�s Secular Communities Survey.
Dr. Juhem Navarro-Rivera is a leading expert in the demographics and politics of non-religious Americans. He is the managing partner at Socioanal�tica Research, a research and analysis firm designing projects for Progressive nonprofits. Dr. Navarro-Rivera is the author of the Secular Politics Newsletter, where he explores the intersection of secularism and politics. With a Ph.D. in political science from the University of Connecticut, Dr. Navarro-Rivera has made significant contributions to the field. He has been an integral member of several renowned research projects, including the 2008 American Religious Identification Survey, PRRI�s American Values Atlas, Socioanalitica Research�s Secular Voices Survey, American Atheists� US Secular Survey, and UCSB�s Secular Communities Survey.