Majorities in every religious group analyzed say churches should not endorse political candidates | Pew Research Center

May 12, 2026

How Americans Feel About Religion’s Influence in Government and Public Life

Majorities in every religious group analyzed say churches should not endorse political candidates

Majorities in every religious group analyzed say churches should not endorse political candidates

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Majorities in every religious group analyzed say churches should not endorse political candidates

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How Americans Feel About Religion’s Influence in Government and Public Life
37% of U.S. adults now say religion is gaining influence, the highest share since 2002
Slightly more than half of U.S. adults have a positive view of religion’s influence
Most Americans think churches should not endorse political candidates
Rising share of Americans have heard of or read about Christian nationalism
17% of U.S. adults now say they want Christianity to be the official religion of the U.S.
No sign of increase in share of public who want the Bible to guide U.S. laws
13% of Americans now say the government should stop enforcing separation of church and state
Large partisan differences on whether religion’s influence in American life is positive or negative
Big partisan differences on how much the government should embrace Christianity
Most Republicans and Democrats agree that churches should not endorse political candidates
How large U.S. religious groups view religion’s influence in American life, ‘Christian nationalism’
3 in 10 White evangelicals say the government should declare Christianity the official national religion
Majorities in every religious group analyzed say churches should not endorse political candidates