Biden is only the second Catholic president, but nearly all have been Christians
Although Catholicism has long been one of the largest U.S. religious groups, John F. Kennedy and Joe Biden are the only Catholic presidents.
Measuring Religion in Pew Research Center’s American Trends Panel
Since the establishment of the ATP, the Center has gradually migrated away from telephone polling and toward online survey administration, and since early 2019, the Center has conducted most of its U.S. polling on the ATP. This shift has major implications for the way the Center measures trends in American religion – including those from the Center’s flagship Religious Landscape Studies, which were conducted by phone in 2007 and 2014.
Faith on the Hill
When it comes to religious affiliation, the 117th U.S. Congress looks similar to the previous Congress but quite different from Americans overall.
Women in many countries face harassment for clothing deemed too religious – or too secular
Women in 56 countries experienced social hostilities due to clothing that was deemed to violate religious or secular dress norms.
Polygamy is rare around the world and mostly confined to a few regions
In some countries – particularly in a segment of West and Central Africa – polygamy is frequently legal and widespread.
Under Pope Francis, the College of Cardinals has become less European
With its newest additions, the College of Cardinals will have 128 voting members, 42% of whom are European, down from 52% in 2013.
Religious restrictions around the world
For more than a decade, Pew Research Center has been tracking global patterns in restrictions on religion – both those imposed by governments and hostilities committed by individuals and social groups.
Government restrictions on religion around the world reached new record in 2018
Government restrictions in 2018 were at their highest level since 2007, when Pew Research Center began tracking these trends.
Restrictions on religion among the 25 most populous countries, 2007-2018
Among the 25 most populous countries, India, Egypt, Indonesia, Pakistan and Russia had the highest levels of overall restrictions on religion in 2018, while Japan, South Africa, Italy, Brazil and the United States had the fewest restrictions.
In 2018, Government Restrictions on Religion Reach Highest Level Globally in More Than a Decade
In 2018, the global median level of government restrictions on religion – that is, laws, policies and actions by officials that impinge on religious beliefs and practices – continued to climb, reaching an all-time high since Pew Research Center began tracking these trends in 2007.
