There are a few different terms that can be used to describe someone who does not attend church services or identify with a particular religion. The most common and neutral terms are “non-churchgoer”, “non-religious”, or “unchurched”. Some other labels that may apply include “atheist”, “agnostic”, “secular”, or “freethinker”. The appropriate term depends on the specific beliefs and philosophies of the individual.
Non-Churchgoer
A non-churchgoer is simply someone who does not attend church regularly. This broad term does not necessarily imply anything about the person’s religious beliefs or lack thereof. Plenty of people who consider themselves religious or spiritual choose not to be part of an organized religion or attend services. According to polls, around 20-30% of Americans identify as religiously unaffiliated, but many still pray, believe in God or a higher power, and follow their own personal spiritual practices.
There are numerous reasons why an individual might be a non-churchgoer, even if they do have faith, such as:
- Negative experiences with organized religion in the past
- Opposition to certain doctrines, policies or social positions taken by churches
- Feeling unwelcome or out of place in a traditional church setting
- Preferring to practice spirituality in their own way
- Prioritizing other Sunday activities over attendance at services
- Limited mobility or health concerns that restrict participation
- Lack of access to a suitable church in their area
So while non-churchgoer has a literal meaning of someone who does not attend church regularly, it does not automatically imply that person is non-religious or faithless. It’s an open-ended term that invites further discussion to understand the individual’s beliefs and practices.
Non-Religious
Non-religious is a more direct term for someone who does not follow a religion. However, like non-churchgoer, non-religious still covers a wide spectrum of personal philosophies. Someone who identifies as non-religious may:
- Believe in God or a higher power, but reject organized religion
- Be agnostic, questioning the existence and nature of divine beings
- Identify as atheist, believing no gods or spiritual forces exist
- Have spiritual or supernatural beliefs outside of traditional religions
- Be humanist, focusing on human ethics and reason over faith
- Simply have no interest in exploring religious or spiritual ideas
According to Pew Research Center surveys, about 22% of Americans describe themselves as atheist, agnostic or “nothing in particular” when asked about their religion. However, a majority of the religiously unaffiliated still believe in some form of higher power or spiritual force.
Main Reasons for Being Non-Religious
There are many personal journeys and thought processes that lead people to identify as non-religious. Some of the most common motivations include:
- Disagreement with specific religious doctrines or texts – inability to rationalize certain religious teachings or perceptions of contradictions within sacred texts.
- Lack of evidence – view that there is insufficient scientific or empirical proof for God/supernatural claims made by religions.
- Problem of evil/suffering – belief that amount of suffering in the world is incompatible with existence of omnipotent, loving God.
- Positive humanist philosophy – focus on human reason, ethics and justice is seen as preferable to faith-based worldviews.
- Bad religious experiences – harms caused by certain religious individuals, groups or doctrines lead to disillusionment.
- Secular upbringing – religion simply not part of childhood education or experience.
These represent some of the most salient reasons people often describe for not subscribing to a religion. But non-religious individuals vary greatly in their precise ideologies.
Unchurched
Unchurched is another broad term for anyone not actively participating in organized religion. The term generally implies the person was previously connected to a church at some point. An unchurched individual may have attended services in childhood but drifted away from organized worship later in life.
According to surveys by LifeWay Research, around a third of American adults are unchurched. That equates to tens of millions of people who have little or no contact with religious institutions, despite many being raised in a church tradition. There are various sociological factors driving this trend:
- Declining social pressure and expectations around church attendance
- Increasing schedule conflicts posed by work, family and other activities
- Dissatisfaction with scandals within religious organizations
- Perception that churches are out of step with modern social views
- Greater emphasis on individual spirituality over organized worship
Critically, being unchurched does not automatically equate to being non-religious. Plenty of unchurched adults retain a strong personal faith and identity tied to their religious background. They simply pursue spirituality through irregular worship, prayer, media or fellowship groups outside of a formal church.
Bringing the Unchurched Back to Church
Churches use various outreach programs to engage the unchurched, such as:
- Emphasizing welcoming, non-judgmental atmosphere
- Addressing doubts and questions openly in sermons
- Offering classes on reconciling faith and modern society
- Connecting with community service and social causes
- Advertising through social media and unconventional venues
- Providing quality childcare and family facilities
- Gathering feedback from both churchgoing and unchurched communities
Research shows the unchurched are more likely to return to a church focused on open-mindedness, genuine relationships, and spiritual nurturing rather than condemnation of doubts or rigid adherence to tradition. However, success remains mixed, as growing numbers find meaning through informal spirituality and personalized ethics.
Atheist
Atheists expressly reject the existence of gods, spirits or supernatural forces. Unlike the broader terms above, atheism makes a firm statement about metaphysical beliefs. The exact atheist viewpoint may range from:
- Strong atheism – Gods almost certainly do not exist
- Weak atheism – Lack of belief gods exist, but don’t rule out the possibility
- Agnostic atheism – Gods probably don’t exist, but we can’t know for certain
- Apathetic atheism – Don’t know or care if gods exist
But all types of atheists share a lack of active religious belief and a skepticism of supernatural claims. Famous atheists throughout history have included Douglas Adams, Albert Einstein, Richard Dawkins and Katherine Hepburn.
Paths to Atheism
There are diverse personal reasons for identifying as atheist rather than religious, such as:
- Perception that religious claims contradict scientific evidence and principles
- Lack of empirical proof for a supreme being
- Disillusionment with harm caused by religious individuals or doctrines
- View that morality is innate or arises from humanistic values, not divine command
- Belief that meaning in life comes from human relationships and endeavors rather than devotion to deities
Essentially atheism stems from skepticism of the arguments and evidence put forward for religion. Atheists contrast faith-based theism with what they see as a rational, scientific worldview. But levels of activism and philosophical conviction vary among individual atheists.
Agnostic
Agnostics assert it is impossible to know for certain whether supernatural beings like gods exist. The term agnosticism comes from the Greek word for “without knowledge.” An agnostic may think gods are unlikely, but admit they do not have enough evidence to completely rule it out. There are two major forms of agnosticism:
- Agnostic Theism – Believe a god exists, but its nature or existence cannot be proven.
- Agnostic Atheism – Don’t believe a god exists, but cannot disprove it completely.
In practice most agnostics lean toward atheism and skepticism regarding religious claims, even if they acknowledge the possibility of being wrong. Bertrand Russell was a prominent agnostic philosopher who critiqued religion but did not profess outright atheism.
Main Agonistic Perspectives
Key rationales for an agnostic outlook include:
- Lack of compelling evidence either for or against the existence of divine beings
- A sense that metaphysical questions are currently unknowable or unanswerable
- Doubt in humanity’s ability to conceive something as vast and complex as a supreme being
- Contention that religions make unsubstantiated or unfalsifiable assertions
- View that moral principles are best established through reason rather than faith
Agnostics see atheists and theists as making bold claims about unproven metaphysical issues. Agnosticism stops short of such certainty in either direction, keeping conclusions tentative.
Secular
In its broadest sense, secular means anything not affiliated with or bound by religious doctrine. Secularism supports keeping government, public institutions and policymaking focused on rational, evidence-based decision making rather than faith-based influences. Someone who identifies as secular may be:
- Atheist or agnostic by philosophy
- A member of a minority religion in a culture
- Generally disinterested in supernatural questions
- A supporter of separation between church and state
- A critic of religious influence over politics and academia
Many democratic nations like the United States have secular governments, without an officially codified religion. However some citizens wish to see a greater Christian, Islamic or other religious dimension to law and identity.
Secularization Trends
Major factors driving increased secularization include:
- Greater access to diverse philosophies through education and internet
- Decreased social stigma around questioning or leaving religion
- Increasing priority placed on empirical rationality
- Pushback against perceived flaws or harms from religious dogma
- Generational shift as youth feel less tied to family religious traditions
These trends manifest through increasing percentage of “nones” in many nations. However backlash arises periodically from religious conservatives concerned by sliding influence. Ongoing culture clashes emerge on issues like secular education, medical policies and civil rights.
Freethinker
Freethinkers embrace ideologies and lifestyles free from obligation to religious authorities. They may advocate reasoning, empiricism and individual liberty over faith, mysticism and obedience. Most freethinkers fall in the atheist/agnostic spectrum, valuing:
- Scientific method over sacred texts
- Questioning over dogma
- Exploration over obedience
- Rational empiricism over appeals to supernatural authority
The term freethinker originated in the 1800s for religious skeptics, pioneered by George Holyoake. They Supported free speech challenging religious constraints and campaigned for a secular society.
Principles of Freethought
Key tenets of the freethought perspective:
- Opposition to arbitrary authorities dictating opinions and lifestyles
- Freedom to form beliefs based on science, logic and experience
- Separation of church and state
- Objectivity and empiricism as the path to knowledge and ethics
- Humanistic values of compassion, justice and creativity
Modern freethinkers promote open-ended questioning and learning over rigid adherence to tradition or superstition. Their skepticism targets perceived flaws within authoritarian institutions.
Conclusion
In summary, while some labels like atheist and agnostic represent clear philosophical positions, terms like non-churchgoer and unchurched are broad umbrella categories for a wide spectrum of beliefs and doubts. The context of an individual’s background and journey shapes their relationship with religion far more than a simple label. There are endless personal variations in spiritual worldviews not fully captured by these common terms.