Leaving Religion: The Nature and Consequences of Religious Deidentification

Research on religious deidentification is accelerating. This article summarizes the nature and consequences of leaving religion. First, I describe a theoretical model of religious deidentification. Second, I review the nature of leaving religion by exploring who leaves religion, how they deidentify, and what motivations impel their decision to depart. Third, I explore the consequences of leaving religion through two primary mechanistic responses: religious residue and religious reactance . “Religious residue” refers to the persistence of religious cognitions, emotions, and behaviors after religious deidentification—the tendency for features of religion to continue to linger among “religious dones” (i.e., formerly religious individuals). “Religious reactance” refers to the tendency to respond in attitudinally countervalenced ways after leaving religion, providing important boundary conditions for religious residue. Fourth, I examine how religious dones are perceived by others and the potential intrapersonal and interpersonal costs of religious deidentification. Testable hypotheses to guide future empirical research are presented.