How The West Really Lost God

This stimulating book questions traditional narratives of secularisation by arguing that family decline goes hand-in-hand with the decline of Christianity in a double helix feedback process. The last 50 years has seen a fundamental restructuring a redefinition of the family, brought about by changing attitudes and a decline in birthrate in economically developed countries. Families are smaller and more scattered and less likely to be bound by marriage. One interesting question is whether, in line with an idea from Pitirim Sorokin, the decline will initiate its own reversal. The situation in the US and Europe is very different, and, as remarked in another review in this section, Christianity is now overwhelmingly a phenomenon of the South. I think it is also true to say that there is more diversification of spirituality, and one should also note that surveys in the UK indicate that two-thirds of people have had a spiritual experience of some kind. So we are still what the author calls 'theotropic.' It is also good to be reminded of the research indicating that believers seemed to enjoy better health, both mentally and physically. However, this would likely also apply to those with an individual connection with the Divine and a supportive social environment. Overall, the book is an important contribution to the sociology of religion.