Pew Research Center » Religion and Politics

The World’s Muslims

Pew Research Center — Tue, 30 Apr 2013 16:30:34 +0000

A new global survey of Muslims shows they are deeply committed to their faith and want its teachings to shape not only their personal lives but also their societies and politics.

America’s ‘Mormon Moment’ is Over, and Public Opinion is Little Changed

Pew Research Center — Fri, 14 Dec 2012 17:11:04 +0000

Eight-in-ten Americans (82%) say they learned little or nothing about the Mormon religion during the presidential campaign. Three-in-ten Americans continue to consider the Mormon religion a non-Christian faith, though there appears to be some warming of attitudes toward Mormonism.

White Evangelical Voters Supported Romney

Pew Research Center — Fri, 07 Dec 2012 21:31:29 +0000

White evangelical Protestants voted as heavily for Republican candidate Mitt Romney as they did for the GOP candidates in 2008 and 2004, and they made up about the same share of the electorate as they did in the two previous elections.

How the Faithful Voted: 2012 Preliminary Analysis

Pew Research Center — Wed, 07 Nov 2012 19:45:24 +0000

Obama's margin of victory was much smaller than in 2008 and he lost ground among white evangelical Protestants and white Catholics. But the basic religious contours of the 2012 electorate resemble recent elections.

Catholic and Unaffiliated Latinos Support Obama; Evangelicals Divided

Pew Research Center — Thu, 18 Oct 2012 18:27:43 +0000

Three-quarters of Latino Catholics and eight-in-ten religiously unaffiliated Latinos support President Barack Obama's re-election, while just 50% of Latino evangelical Protestants prefer Obama and 39% support Mitt Romney.

The Catholic “Swing” Vote

Pew Research Center — Thu, 11 Oct 2012 16:10:32 +0000

Catholics are often identified as a major "swing" voting group in American politics. A new analysis shows that the only group of Catholics that has been divided in recent elections is white Catholics who identify as political moderates

Preaching Politics From the Pulpit

Pew Research Center — Tue, 02 Oct 2012 20:12:24 +0000

During every election cycle, many churches and other religious groups find themselves wondering what role, if any, they can play in the political process. "Preaching Politics From the Pulpit" explains the IRS limits on political activity by nonprofit, tax-exempt organizations. An accompanying graphic shows that Americans continue to be wary of church involvement in partisan politics.

Slideshow: Religious Groups and Political Party Identification

Pew Research Center — Mon, 17 Sep 2012 00:00:00 +0000

A new slideshow illustrates trends in support for the U.S. political parties among various religious groups since 2008.

View the slideshow.

Slideshow: Mormonism in the 2012 Election

Pew Research Center — Thu, 30 Aug 2012 16:55:08 +0000

A new slideshow highlights recent Pew Research Center data on voters’ views of the Mormon religion and Mormons’ opinions on their place in society.

Paul Ryan’s Religious Biography

Pew Research Center — Mon, 13 Aug 2012 00:00:00 +0000

Paul Ryan, the youngest of four children in an Irish-Catholic family, was born in Janesville, Wis., where he still lives. At age 16, he found his 55-year-old father dead of a heart attack at the Ryan family home. His father’s death reportedly led to a period of soul-searching, during which he read the works of novelist and philosopher Ayn Rand and others. Ryan has cited Rand as a major influence on his decision to seek a career in public service, although he rejects her well-known atheism.

Read the full religious profile.