They talk about those who “identify as”. Too many times people are defined as x, y or x when any association that makes them such is simply by default. My mom and dad were Christian, we went to church therefore I am a Christian. Since church attendance isn’t the strong social event that it was in years past participation loses its meaning.
Back in the two thousands a guy named Christian Smith did some solid research on faith beliefs of American youth. He found that regardless of Christian denomination or religious affiliation there is little difference in what the average Catholic, Protestant, Muslim, Jewish kid believed in relation to God and faith.
The phrase coined based on the research was Therapeutic Moralistic Deism. God wants me to be happy. If I’m a good person I’m good with God. There is a God but God is far removed.
Those two realities likely contribute to the “within the church” contributions to the decline.
