deconversion

Deconversion is the process of ceasing to adhere to a religion or to hold religious beliefs one previously held, including disengagement from religious practices and communities. In sociology and religious studies, the term describes a transition from belief to disbelief or from one faith to another, and it can range from gradual disengagement to sudden, explicit renunciation.

Causes are diverse and include intellectual examination, exposure to different ideas, personal experiences of harm or hypocrisy within a tradition, life events such as education or marriage, and changes in social networks. Deconversion is often gradual, but critical moments or crises can trigger a rapid loss of belief.

The consequences can be personal and social. Individuals may experience a shift in identity and meaning, renegotiate moral frameworks, and reorganize daily routines around new beliefs or nonbelief. Families and communities may respond with support, tension, or conflict, and in some settings stigma or pressure accompanies the change.

Variability exists in how people describe the process. Some leave outright or convert to atheism, agnosticism, secular humanism, or a different religion. Others retain elements of their former tradition while adopting a secular or nonreligious outlook. In academic work, deconversion is studied alongside religious change and disengagement, with ongoing debates about definitions and boundaries.

Scholarly discussion cautions that deconversion is not always linear or complete; it can involve partial beliefs, selective practice, or evolving identities. Methodological challenges include self-report biases and the influence of social context. The term carries normative connotations in some settings and is used with varying precision across disciplines.