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short readsJun 26, 2013

Many American Catholics at odds with Vatican on homosexuality

Four-in-ten Catholics say there is “a lot” of conflict between their personal religious beliefs and homosexuality.
fact sheetJun 26, 2013

High Court Strikes Down DOMA but Leaves Fate of Proposition 8 Uncertain

The U.S. Supreme Court has ruled the federal Defense of Marriage Act unconstitutional. The high court declined to rule on Proposition 8, leaving the legal status of same-sex marriage in California unclear. Read our legal analysis of the two major decisions.
short readsJun 25, 2013

As Texas considers new abortion restrictions, polls show complex debate

Abortion opponents in the Texas state legislature have been busy this week trying to pass a bill aimed at banning most abortions after 20 weeks of pregnancy. The proposal, which passed the House on Monday, is now facing a Democratic filibuster in the state Senate. If the Senate approves it before the end of the legislative session at midnight and Republican Gov. Rick Perry (as promised) signs it, Texas would become the 13th state in recent years to enact such a restriction.
short readsJun 20, 2013

For religious LGBT adults, more commitment sometimes brings more conflict

Lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender adults are generally less religious than U.S. society as a whole, a recent Pew Research Center survey found. About half (51%) declare any religious affiliation at all, versus close to eight-in-ten U.S. adults; about a fifth (17%) are both religiously affiliated and say religion is very important in their lives, […]
reportJun 20, 2013

Arab Spring Adds to Global Restrictions on Religion

Pew Research’s fourth major report on global restrictions on religion finds that the share of countries with high or very high restrictions on religion rose from 37% in 2010 to 40% in 2011. The Middle East and North Africa continued to have the highest levels of restrictions in the year when much of the Arab Spring uprisings occurred, with social hostilities involving religion increasing markedly and government restrictions remaining high.
reportJun 20, 2013

New Report Finds that Arab Spring Adds to Global Restrictions on Religion

Washington, D.C. — A new study by the Pew Research Center finds that the already high level of restrictions on religion in the Middle East and North Africa – whether resulting from government policies or from social hostilities – continued to increase in 2011, when most of the political uprisings known as the Arab Spring […]
short readsJun 13, 2013

South Carolina valedictorian reignites debate on prayer in school

Earlier this month, the valedictorian at Liberty (S.C.) High School ripped up his prepared graduation speech, which had been approved by school officials, and instead recited the Lord’s Prayer at the public school’s graduation ceremony. According to CNN, Roy Costner IV said he was trying to make a statement that “taking prayer out of schools […]
reportJun 11, 2013

Iranians’ Views Mixed on Political Role for Religious Figures

As Iranians prepare to elect a new president on June 14, a Pew Research survey shows that just 40% think religious figures should play a large role in politics, while a quarter say religious figures should have some influence, and three-in-ten believe they should have little or no influence. But an overwhelming majority of Iranians say they back the use of Islamic law.
short readsJun 4, 2013

A global snapshot of same-sex marriage

Worldwide, roughly two-thirds of the countries that allow gay marriage are in Western Europe.
reportJun 4, 2013

Cuomo’s Proposal Aims to Protect Late-Term Abortion Access in NY

After months of anticipation, New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo has introduced a proposal that seeks to protect access to abortion in the third-largest U.S. state. A new Pew Research Center analysis explores the details of Cuomo’s bill, which aims to codify Roe v. Wade in state law.