mindreligious

Mindreligious is a term used in sociological and cultural discourse to describe individuals or groups characterized by a lower level of religiosity relative to a reference population. It can apply to people who do not identify with a religious tradition, to those who identify with a faith but practice infrequently or privately, or to individuals who identify as spiritual but not religious. The word is a compound construction drawing on the element meaning “less” with “religious,” and while it is most often encountered in Scandinavian-language contexts, it also appears in English-language discussions as a label for relative religiosity.

In usage, mindereligious is not a fixed category but a descriptive tendency used in surveys, studies, and public discourse to capture variation along the religiosity spectrum. It contrasts with terms such as nonreligious, secular, unaffiliated, religious, devout, or highly religious, and it acknowledges that belief, practice, identity, and belonging can diverge. Measurement typically relies on multiple dimensions: belief in a higher power, participation in rituals, importance of religion in daily life, and affiliation with a religious community.

The concept is relevant to discussions of secularization, pluralism, and generational change in religion. It also raises methodological and ethical questions about labeling, cultural context, and the fluidity of personal identity. See also religiosity, secularization, spiritual but not religious, and cultural religion.