The Vanishing Church: How the Hollowing Out of Moderate Congregations Is Hurting Democracy, Faith, and Us

by Ryan P. Burge

Genres: Politics, Religion, Nonfiction, Sociology, Faith, Christian, History

232 pages, Hardcover

Published January 13, 2026

Reviews

[Angie Miale · Rating 4 out of 5]

A thoughtful and well researched book from a political scientist or sociologist standpoint. Although Ryan Burge is a pastor, there isn't as much of a pastoral tone. There are lots and lots of data points, telling the reader the difference in how many people surveyed respond to data points such as "are you religious" "how often do you attend services" "Do you identify as evangelical" Over time those pages had a tendency to be a bit dry for me, but they are necessary to make the author's points. From a hope perspective, I learned that while church attendance for moderates is rapidly declining, more people have more moderate beliefs than we think. I think the typical reader would be a mainline protestant wondering why their church is losing members. This book will show that it may not be your church or denomination, that the religious right has increased in popularity, that more far left people identify as atheists.

Another point he makes over and over again is that "it wasn't always this way"- that in the 1980's the evangelical church was 50/50 democrat vs republican. That unfortunately churches have become a place that is "far right coded" and the more mainline churches are losing members. Social media highlights mostly fringe beliefs, even though more americans have more moderate views. For example, the southern baptist convention published a stance against IVF, but only 8% of members of the SBC were against IVF.

Thank you to NetGalley and Brazos Press for the ARC. Book to be published January 13, 2026

[Claire Bowers-Dingus · Rating 3 out of 5]

I wish I could do half stars! Technically this was a 3.5/5. It was a well-written book; it was just a little boring. Lots of research and stats to wade through. This would be a credible source to cite if you ever write a church history or American religious history book.

I liked the call to moderates to stand up and use their voices for unity; often, we only see the two polarized sides yelling on social media. He gave some difficult abortion stats and approached the issue in a nuanced way. It hurt my heart to know that atheists are more politically active by far than Christians. Overall takeaway: We need to rub shoulders with people who don’t always agree with our views/opinions. And we need to be kind in our discourse and rhetoric to those who don’t share our beliefs. Dehumanizing speech shouldn’t have a place in politics or the church.

[Caleb Rolling · Rating 4 out of 5]

As a person pursing ordination in a mainline denomination, some of the data in this book makes me queasy. But, for more folks than simply folks in the mainline, Burge offers a clear, data-driven dose of realism concerning religion in the US. Much of what he describes makes good sense of what I’ve experienced in a variety of congregations, too. The book leaves much to be considered at its conclusion. This would be a good book to read with others—it’ll surely open up a lively discussion.

[Baillie ♡ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC!

It turns out that Ryan P. Burge and I are from the same area of Illinois, which I did not know until I started reading!

I appreciated the commentary in this book. I did not realize that traditional Protestant denominations were declining by such a drastic amount. As someone who grew up in the UMC, that makes me very sad. :(

Although very heavy on the statistics for my personal taste, this book definitely offered a lot of educational value and thoughtful perspective. An interesting read!

[Adam Bloch · Rating 3 out of 5]

I felt a little out of place reading this book—I’m a part of a church tradition that is growing. For the most part, the author does a good job of being fair to the various sides of positions, and the plethora of data throughout the book is very interesting. But it also seems that he’ll never be able to fully address the issue at hand because he seems to indicate that both sides of issues (primarily the political sides of democrats and republican) are, for the most part, morally equivalent. Perhaps that’s why the bulk of the book is just data presentation and there’s extremely little application.

[Madison Grace · Rating 3 out of 5]

it didn’t have the pizzazz i want a 4 star book to have but it was still good! do you like his substack? great, you’ll like the book. sometimes, though, i fear burge is a bit utilitarian towards attending church in a way that i don’t really tend to agree with but that’s ryan for ya i guess

[Kelly Brill · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ryan Burge is a political scientist who specializes in the impact of religion on American life. He is also a lifelong Christian who has worked in several churches. The Vanishing Church focuses on how political polarization has transformed American Christianity. Burge writes as both a researcher (who loves graphs and data), a practicing Christian (who deeply believes in the local congregation), and an American who cares about the public good. All three of these passions are revealed in this insightful and thought-provoking book.

He divides the book into three sections: Five Decades of Religious Polarization, Social and Political Polarization, and A Way Forward. His statistics are both illuminating and sobering. His theory is that moderate religion has declined rapidly, as a result of political polarization. Those who identify as Republican, by and large, are attending evangelical churches. Those who identify as Democrat, by and large, are identifying as atheist, agnostic, or "none" (no specific religion). There was a time when Republicans and Democrats worshiped in the same pew, in the same United Methodist Church, for example. That church (and those like them) attracted those across the socioeconomic spectrum, people of different educational backgrounds. The local mainline Protestant church, then, was a place where people practiced listening to one another, learning from each other. People developed empathy; the social fabric was woven together more tightly. Without those churches (and all mainline Protestant denominations are rapidly declining), the polarization just becomes worse.

I learned a lot from this book. I learned that the Roman Catholic Church in America is becoming much more conservative (following its clergy). I learned, surprisingly, that the number of evangelicals is not rising (though their influence is.). I'm also left with many questions. Burge's last section is entitled, "A Way Forward" and he issues a passionate plea for the return of the moderate church, but it is not in the least prescriptive.

I am grateful to have received an ARC from Netgalley and the publisher.

[Becki · Rating 5 out of 5]

Listen, if you are in the small subset of people who find this topic fascinating, you are going to be *captivated* by this book! (That's me. I have told multiple people about this book while I've been reading it!) My story is that I grew up in a very evangelical, very conservative home during the 1970s, 80s, and 90s. Since 2016 I've experienced significant shifts in both my religious beliefs and my politics, and even now, I can not determine which set of beliefs changed first. I only know that I stopped calling myself a Christian when I grew overwhelmed by what felt like the very strong voice of unified Churchianity telling me that I was *not* part of them any longer.

Author and political scientist Ryan P Burge comes loaded with stats and presents the case that over the past 50 years, the American church has gone from being a community of diversity and moderation to being a near monolith, especially politically, but also socio-economically. He heralds the church as the one of the last remaining spaces where diverse populations could influence each other. From "The Vanishing Church", "Standing shoulder to shoulder with a bank president and a factory worker while reciting the Apostles' Creed can do wonders in creating understanding and compassion across the class and political divides facing the United States. However, the American church is continuing to fall far short of that ideal, becoming a haven for those whose lives have stayed on a narrow path. This has led to an increase in misunderstanding, a decline in empathy, and a further fraying in our social fabric."

Burge does a really great job of laying out the situation and the dangers. He is less forthcoming with solutions, which is my only complaint. Still, I'll continue to recommend this book because I think it was really eye-opening and brings specific data points to something that I had been feeling about religion and politics, but couldn't verbalize.

My thanks to the author, publisher, and #NetGalley for an ARC of this book. It drops Jan 13, 2026 and should be required reading for those who care about church health and growth.

[Dave · Rating 5 out of 5]

When Ryan Burge mentioned that this book was in process in a recent podcast, I kept an eye out for it. I hoped it would provide some answers to questions I had in my own church. The Vanishing Church helps to define a problem that has arisen over the past decades, establishes ways to counter the problem, and provides an understanding for why church doesn't seem like home anymore.

A strength of a church can be its diversity of demographics, race, economics, and politics. A church that eliminates by choice or by inattention the ability for people of differing aspects of life to sit next to each other in the pews (or chairs) sets itself up for being locked in to a particular voice. The locking in might be successful in some aspects -- growing in numbers, growing in budget -- but has the distinct possibility of shredding connection to swaths of people. As churches pursue the purses of microsectors, other people are pushed out of the picture. The growth of religious "Nones" is one result of this trend. The pursuit also drives current attendees away, sometimes to another congregation (better than some options) and sometimes to quitting affiliation altogether.

Burge concludes with several takeaways that can lead to a more diverse congregational life in the church. The concepts he proposes are not necessarily new, but are a necessary reminder about the value of people who differ from ourselves. My fear is that the people who need to hear the message the most are the people who are the least likely to look and listen outside their echo chamber.

[Ben Peltz · Rating 5 out of 5]

I subscribe to Burge's Substack and always appreciate the way he uses data to delve deeper into topics that are relevant to church leaders like me. This book includes a lot of the same kind of graphs and analysis that I've come to expect from him, but it goes a step beyond that into a topic that's clearly near and dear to Burge's heart: the role that mainline churches have historically played in the United States and how their decline represents a big loss. As a Canadian Evangelical by background, I have come to realize the importance of mainline churches in recent years, which is a big perspective shift for me since I've spent most of my life in the more homogenous communities that Burge describes in his opening chapters. He does a great job of arguing that their ability to draw people together across political and social divides - which other groups might see as compromising on their values - represents a unique strength of mainline churches. I found myself wondering whether the decline of liberal Protestantism is a cause or effect of our current political polarization - it's probably both - but one way or another I'm convinced that we should all be grieved by the fact that so many communities that once drew people together are shrinking and shutting down. My only complaint is that the audiobook didn't include an accompanying PDF so we could see the graphs that were being described, which is always a fun part of reading Burge's work!

[Mark · Rating 4 out of 5]

I presently serve in a church that may be approaching the same fate Burge describes from his own ministry in Baptist churches. I found it difficult to pay attention at times to the trove of statistical data (overwhelming at times in the audiobook, although narrated well; I also wondered about sample sizes, etc.). But there were several takeaways. Here are a few:

Churches should be places which bring people together across real differences rather than sorting them into camps. People should choose a congregation and stick with it, even when it imperfectly lines up with their views and preferences. The church’s life together matters not just because of faith but for the health of Western democracy. Churches mustn’t let politics turn congregations into tribalistic echo chambers. Simply showing up and participating is valuable in itself. And above all, we must not dehumanize those who think, vote, or believe differently than we do. The future of the church and our ability to live together in community in Christ depends less on 100% agreement and more on committed, empathetic presence with one another.

[Maelen · Rating 2 out of 5]

The Vanishing Church is quiet evidence of the decline of Christianity in the United States, and how this decline bewilders some people. It is a little bit sad that a person who seems to be better than most of us should have glued himself to a faith that in the end is based on a series of false claims. The author shows the typically culture-bound blindness of the average American in tying together the fates of mainline Christianity and of democracy and civil culture -- does he not realize that many Western countries have entered a post-Christian age without losing their freedoms? More generally, does he not understand that all of the good things he attributes to the presence of the church were accomplished by the work of human beings without any assistance from his imaginary god? He cannot admit, even to himself, that the better parts of Christianity are shared in common with many other ethical systems in this world, some religious and some not, while its theological assertions are a tissue of absurdities and lies. Why does he need a fantasy of deity to convince himself that it is good to be good?

[Wesley Ellis · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an excellent book. Ryan Burge is an excellent interpreter of research. He charts the shift in American Christianity from a time when it was possible, even likely, that you would be sitting next to a member of the opposite political party during your Sunday morning worship service. Now, due to the homogenization and hard-right drift of Evangelicalism, moderate churches are being hollowing out too. Republicans are leaving moderate churches for Evangelical churches, not for their theology, but for their validation of right-wing political ideologies. The downstream affect on Mainline churches is that they too are homogenizing and feeling pressured to nurture progressive ideological and tribal identities. This book persuasively paints the picture of the polarization of American religion. If it has a weakness, it is that it sometimes seems to imply that we should just try to be more moderate, and I think the solution is more complex. But I highly recommend this book.

[Chrisanne · Rating 3 out of 5]

There was an incorrect characterization of a specific congregation at the beginning that made me feel like there was (probably) more bias at the beginning than there really was.* As a result, at the beginning, I was overly sensitive and consistently questioning: Is this a bias or is this backed up with other information?

I think the points presented, also bears asking the question: Does the reader(and/or Burge) see truth as everlasting and immutable or not? Because some of the viewpoints will hit differently depending on the way you see it(whether republican or democrat). And could that difference in perception of truth be the differing viewpoint between the congregations?

His real strengths are the last 2 or 3 chapters. I do agree with his overall thesis. I'm just not sure it would convince someone who wasn't predispositioned to be so convinced.

*Maybe not. But Google backed me up. Perhaps more definition was in order at the beginning.

[Ayekah · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Vanishing Church makes for a compelling yet easily read book, as Ryan peels back the layers from the past, bringing them along into the present. Seeking to understand and explain the state of the moderate church and how we got where we are today. Clearly there is no one explanation and through the use of graphs and charts that tandem the writing we get a much clearer insight and understanding of those who have left, those who have stayed and a look at the demographics of these people, along with the a view of the church collective. It truly is a fascinating study of the church as it stands today and perhaps a hopeful look at a future for the church. This book isn't just for clergy and academics, it can be read by anyone who has questions about the future of their own church.

Highly recommend to all readers

[Kat · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well-researched and heartbreaking. There are lots of stats, percentages, and all of it is followed by reflection. It could be overwhelming and dry for many, but for me, it is very, very sad. Why? Not because the number of people who call themselves religious is declining rapidly, not because our society has literally ditched the church, BUT because we knowingly and willingly are turning away from our roots as a civilization, not just as a population. Our legislation, our lifestyle, our history, our art, and our traditions — all of these are based on Christian values. I think you don’t have to believe to be one. Christianity, for me and for many, means belonging. Belonging to Western civilization. If we turn away from ourselves, we will vanish, just like so many others before us.

[Gregg Chastain · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ryan Burges research gives an honest assessment of the American church in the early 21st century. He shows the rapid changes that have transpired in the religious culture of the US over the last 25 years, and the impact of out nation's political polarization on the church. I am reading this book with my church elders and it has given them a greater understanding of our current cultural moment we live in. While I would want some deeper analysis of possible ways forward, his suggestions are helpful. In their brevity, I suspect there is lots of latitude to the individual dynamics of particular churches in particular communities.

[David · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent book where the subtitile tells readers exactly what this work covers. He shows how the close intermixing of church and politics has been bad for the church, our politics and us. We end up in the curious world where the term evangelical is mostly about political views and little to do with our interactions with the devine.

[Jennifer Wyant · Rating 5 out of 5]

every mainline protestant pastor I know should read this book and really wrestle with the implications of what he is saying.

also, from an academic perspective, I was extremely impressed by how Burge analyzes and presents this data. Accessible and yet still very nuanced.

[Clark Cowden · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is excellent! I loved it!

[Chris Hilling · Rating 4 out of 5]

You'll get quite a bit of data thrown at you, but this book provides hope that churches can break the chains of political homegeny and be places where differences are welcome.

[Jessica · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thought this was very interesting-a little data dense and repetitive at times, but overall a really good and thoughtful overview of Christianity in America.

[Ruth · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting for being so full of data. Easily skimable though. :-]
Burge is a good speaker/presenter too.