Back in the 1950s, fewer than 5% of Americans described themselves as nonreligious. Now approximately 30% identify as such. How do we explain this dramatic increase of Americans eschewing of religion? What factors are contributing to this unprecedented wave of secularization? And what are some likely consequences? Shedding light on this rise is Phil Zuckerman.

Zuckerman, Ph.D., is a professor of sociology and the founding chair of the country’s first secular studies program at PitzerCollege in Claremont, California. He is the author of several books, including Faith No More: Why People Reject Religion and Society Without God.