Mormons Are No Longer a Majority in Utah: Causes, Consequences, and Implications for the Sociology of Religion
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Abstract
This paper uses a sample of Utahans to estimate the percentage of the state belonging to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (the LDS, or Mormon Church). We find that the Mormon share of Utah’s population is lower than is commonly believed. This finding has relevance for certain theories in the sociology of religion that make inferences about church growth and vitality based on the religious demography of Utah. We show how the process of secularization, changes in Mormon fertility, and shifts in migration into Utah combine to alter the religious landscape of the state. We close with a discussion of the implications of our findings for the sociology of religion.
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Mormons Are No Longer a Majority in Utah: Causes, Consequences, and Implications for the Sociology of Religion
In: Journal of Religion and DemographySearch for other papers by Ryan T. Cragun in
Current site
Google Scholar
PubMed
Search for other papers by Bethany Gull in
Current site
Google Scholar
PubMed
Search for other papers by Rick Phillips in
Current site
Google Scholar
PubMed
Abstract
This paper uses a sample of Utahans to estimate the percentage of the state belonging to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (the LDS, or Mormon Church). We find that the Mormon share of Utah’s population is lower than is commonly believed. This finding has relevance for certain theories in the sociology of religion that make inferences about church growth and vitality based on the religious demography of Utah. We show how the process of secularization, changes in Mormon fertility, and shifts in migration into Utah combine to alter the religious landscape of the state. We close with a discussion of the implications of our findings for the sociology of religion.
| All Time | Past Year | Past 30 Days | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Abstract Views | 1244 | 1242 | 152 |
| Full Text Views | 16 | 16 | 1 |
| PDF Views & Downloads | 45 | 45 | 2 |