Higher Education's Declining Credibility is Stabilizing Religious Affiliation in America
Source: Lewis M. Andrews. "Are More People Going To Church Because Fewer Are Going To College?." May 22, 2026. thefederalist.com
The Gist
The author argues that fewer people are leaving religion because colleges have lost credibility. Since universities have long criticized religion but now look bad themselves due to controversial positions, people are more willing to trust churches again.
Conclusion
The recent stabilization of religious affiliation in America is caused by higher education's declining credibility and prestige, which has reduced its influence as the primary critic of organized religion
Premises
- Religious affiliation in America stabilized between 2019-2024 after decades of decline, with Christian identification hovering between 60-64%
- Higher education has historically been the most influential critic of organized religion, promoting unflattering portrayals of communal worship
- Colleges and universities are experiencing a serious image problem due to controversial campus developments and positions that reject basic American values
- The American media has long conditioned audiences to regard professors as the most reliable source of insight on important subjects
- When the institution most responsible for discrediting organized religion has discredited itself, a shift in favor of religion becomes inevitable
- Existing explanations for religious stabilization (generational gaps narrowing, personal spirituality, elastic boundaries) fail to account for this institutional dynamic
Assumptions
- Higher education's influence on public opinion about religion has been significant and negative
- Public trust in institutions directly affects their persuasive power
- People make religious choices partly based on which institutions they trust or distrust
- The correlation between declining trust in higher education and religious stabilization implies causation