Pew Research Center » Religion and Society

After Boston, Little Changes in Views of Islam and Violence

Pew Research Center — Tue, 07 May 2013 13:45:59 +0000

The public is split on whether Islam is more likely than other religions to encourage violence among its believers, but there are sizable partisan, demographic and religious differences in views of Islam and violence.

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.

Infographic: The World’s Muslims

Pew Research Center — Tue, 30 Apr 2013 16:25:51 +0000

Highlights from the report "The World's Muslims: Religion, Politics and Society"

U.S. Catholics Express Favorable Views of Pope

Pew Research Center — Wed, 03 Apr 2013 17:59:10 +0000

Pope Francis is viewed much more favorably by U.S. Catholics than Pope Benedict XVI was during the early days of his pontificate.

Views of the Catholic Church’s Problems and Contributions

Pew Research Center — Wed, 06 Mar 2013 16:19:56 +0000

U.S. Catholics see sex abuse as the church’s most important problem and charity as its most important contribution.

U.S. Catholics Divided On Church’s Direction Under New Pope

Pew Research Center — Thu, 21 Feb 2013 16:15:34 +0000

Three-quarters of American Catholics have a favorable view of Pope Benedict XVI, but many also express a desire for change.

The Shifting Global Catholic Population

Pew Research Center — Wed, 13 Feb 2013 18:30:49 +0000

Catholics have made up a remarkably stable share of the global population over the past century, but their geographic distribution has shifted significantly during that time.

Pew Research Resources on Pope Benedict XVI

Pew Research Center — Mon, 11 Feb 2013 21:12:28 +0000

The Pew Research Center's Forum on Religion & Public Life has a variety of resources on Catholicism and Pope Benedict XVI, including public opinion polls, research studies, event transcripts and interviews.

The Contraception Mandate and Religious Liberty

Pew Research Center — Sat, 02 Feb 2013 01:54:12 +0000

On Feb. 1, 2013, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) proposed new rules that would exempt certain religious organizations from a new mandate to offer free contraception services to women employees.

As More Countries Regulate Wearing of Religious Symbols, European Court Decides Two UK Cases

Pew Research Center — Tue, 15 Jan 2013 17:10:02 +0000

By Brian J. Grim

The European Court of Human Rights today announced decisions on several high profile religious freedom cases involving the United Kingdom, including two complaints that British law inadequately protects employees’ right to display symbols of their religion in the workplace.

The court found that there had been a violation of religious freedom in the case involving a British Airways employee who was barred from visibly wearing Christian crosses around her neck while at work. However, in the second case involving a nurse in the geriatric ward of a British hospital, the court found that the protection of health and safety on a hospital ward justified her employer’s prohibition on wearing a visible cross necklace.

A recent study by the Pew Research Center’s Forum on Religion & Public Life found that regulations on the wearing of religious symbols increased globally between mid-2007 and mid-2010. In mid-2010, religious attire and other symbols were regulated in 57 countries (29%), up from 21 countries (11%) in mid-2007. Regulations increased in places as diverse as France, where the burqa was banned, and Rwanda, where the government prohibited religious headgear in photos for government documents.

Regulations on religious attire differ widely. Some countries ban religious garb; Turkey, for example, bars women from wearing headscarves in government offices. In other countries, such as Saudi Arabia and Iran, religious coverings are required for women. And in Jordan, the Tourism Ministry recently advised Israeli visitors to avoid wearing Jewish attire while in the country, reportedly out of concern for their safety.

The European Court also announced decisions in a pair of cases involving employees who contend that U.K. laws fail to protect their right to object to homosexuality on religious grounds. The court did not uphold their complaints, finding that the right to manifest religion at work is protected but must be balanced against the rights of others.

The court decision was reported widely in the British and international press.

Brian J. Grim is a senior researcher and director of cross-national data at the Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life.