# Why Religion is Having a Moment

Page: https://stenobird.com/podcast/kqed-s-forum-910728/why-religion-is-having-a-moment
Text version: https://stenobird.com/podcast/kqed-s-forum-910728/why-religion-is-having-a-moment.md
Podcast: [KQED's Forum](https://stenobird.com/podcast/kqed-s-forum-910728)
Published: 2026-06-15T19:05:00+00:00
Episode link: https://www.podtrac.com/pts/redirect.mp3/pdst.fm/e/traffic.megaphone.fm/KQINC8283390013.mp3
Audio file: https://www.podtrac.com/pts/redirect.mp3/pdst.fm/e/traffic.megaphone.fm/KQINC8283390013.mp3
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JSON: https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/kqed-s-forum-910728/episodes/why-religion-is-having-a-moment
Duration seconds: 3136

## Resource

After decades of decline, many church leaders believe that religious life is on the upswing as some younger Americans flock to Christianity — including Vice President JD Vance, whose new book on his Catholic conversion drops this week. But the fuller picture is more complicated. Coming up, we’ll talk to religion reporters and a church leader about what may be driving this shift, and what its lasting impacts could be. Guests: Michael O'Loughlin, executive editor, National Catholic Reporter; O'Loughlin has covered the Catholic church for both the Boston Globe and Crux; author, "Hidden Mercy: AIDS, Catholics and the Untold Stories of Compassion in the Face of Fear" Lauren Jackson, deputy editorial director for newsletters and the host of “Believing," The New York Times Ryan Burge, professor of practice at the John C. Danforth Center, Washington University; author, “Graphs about Religion” Danté Stewart, author, “Shoutin’ in the Fire: An American Epistle;” an ordained minister at Tabernacle Baptist Church in Augusta, Ga. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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## Transcript

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