Leaving the Church Behind: Applying a Deconversion Perspective to Evangelical Exit Narratives

Abstract

The motivating factors and structural processes of religious exits have been important inquiries in the sociology of religion and are increasingly important to the field of non-religious studies. Based on qualitative research with 20 former post-Boomer Evangelical Christians, this article takes a phenomenological–hermeneutical approach to understanding religious exiting by examining narratives of deconversion. The narrative data presented in this article depict Evangelical exits from a deconversion perspective where exiters emphasize breaking away from the constraints of hegemonic Christianity rather than turning to secularity. The findings suggest that framing the intentional rejection of faith as ‘deconversion’ transforms exit narratives into a necessary cultural repertoire that encourages individuals to challenge religious domination and makes finding acceptance and validation easier in an established community of non-believers. By emphasizing the negative impact of religion, even after non-religious worldviews have been adopted, deconverts come to know who they currently are in the light of who they once were.

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