Religiosity in the United States has declined significantly over the past several decades. While this trend has been extensively documented and debated, its broader social and cultural consequences remain underexplored. In this study, we investigate how declining religiosity has influenced shifts in Americans’ attitudes towards key moral issues, such as same-sex relationships, abortion and euthanasia, and gender norms.

Using the repeal of blue laws which prevented commerce on Sundays as an exogenous factor that reduces church attendance, we identify the causal impact of reduced church attendance on public opinion on key issues. Our analysis shows that declining religious service attendance, induced by the repeal of blue laws, contributed to a more liberal trajectory in American moral attitudes in the late 20th century, reshaping public perspectives on important moral issues.

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