Naveed
Miley Cyrus was baptized in a Southern Baptist church as a child in Tennessee — but by her mid-twenties she was telling fans, in her own words, that she’d walked away from the religion she was raised in. Here’s what she’s actually said about why, and what she believes now.
| Question | Short Answer |
|---|---|
| Raised as | Southern Baptist Christian, baptized as a child in Tennessee |
| Current status | Left organized religion; describes herself as spiritual, believes in a “higher power” |
| Why she left | Said her church’s anti-LGBTQ stance conflicted with her values |
| Denomination as a child | Southern Baptist |
Baptized Southern Baptist, in a “Very Religious Southern Family”
Cyrus grew up attending a Southern Baptist church in Franklin, Tennessee, before her family relocated to Los Angeles in 2005 for her Disney Channel career. In a 2016 interview with Variety, she described her upbringing as coming from “a very religious Southern family,” and has said that environment shaped — and later complicated — how she understood her own identity as a teenager.
Why She Left, In Her Own Words
The clearest explanation came directly from Cyrus herself in 2020, during an Instagram Live conversation with Hailey Bieber called “Bright Minded.” Cyrus said she stopped attending her childhood church as a teenager because gay friends of hers weren’t accepted there and were reportedly pushed toward conversion therapy. She has publicly identified as pansexual since 2015, and has said that reconciling her sexuality with her religious upbringing was difficult during her early teenage years.
Talking to Bieber, Cyrus put it this way: “I’m allowed to decide what my relationship is with spirituality as an adult” — one that, she said, “doesn’t have to be aligned with the way it was when I was brought up.”
What She Believes Now
Cyrus hasn’t adopted a new organized religion. She has instead described an open-ended, personal spirituality — she has said she believes in a higher power without tying that belief to any specific church or doctrine. Around 2020 she also spoke about wanting to “explore” her relationship with God again on her own terms, distinct from the church environment she left behind.
FAQ
Was Miley Cyrus raised Christian?
Yes. She was raised Southern Baptist and baptized as a child before her family moved to Los Angeles in 2005.
Is Miley Cyrus still religious today?
She no longer identifies with organized religion, but has said she believes in a higher power and considers herself spiritual.
