Religious “nones”—those who answer “none of the above” on religious identification surveys—are the fastest-growing cohort of young adults in the United States, Western Europe and parts of Latin America. They are also among the most stigmatized groups in religiously conservative parts of the developing world. Yet many of them are deeply committed to values like tolerance, service and economic justice that are vital to healthy, stable societies.

Their sheer numbers in the West have already begun to reshape conversations about ethics and belief. And the deep penetration of social media in the global South, particularly among Millennials, will likely mean that individualism—the touchstone of both globalization and religious disaffiliation—will shape religious culture even in parts of the world where affiliation trends remains high.

Photo Credit: Sarah Gould