Majority of U.S. Catholics Express Favorable View of Pope Francis
Most say Francis represents change in the church. And many say the church should allow priests to marry and let Catholics use birth control.
Numbers, Facts and Trends Shaping Your World
Most say Francis represents change in the church. And many say the church should allow priests to marry and let Catholics use birth control.
Catholics are one of the largest religious groups in the United States, outnumbering any single Protestant denomination.
About three-quarters of U.S. Catholics (76%) say abortion should be illegal in some cases but legal in others.
About a quarter of U.S. adults regularly watch religious services online or on TV, and most of them are highly satisfied with the experience. About two-in-ten Americans (21%) use apps or websites to help with reading scripture.
But they hold differing opinions about what that phrase means, and two-thirds of U.S. adults say churches should keep out of politics.
Weekly Mass-goers and Catholic Republicans express higher levels of disapproval of the pope’s new restrictions.
Self-identified Christians make up 63% of the U.S. population in 2021, down from 75% a decade ago.
A new analysis of survey data finds that there has been no large-scale departure from evangelicalism among White Americans.
President Trump continues to be White Christians’ preferred candidate, but support among voters in three traditions has slipped since August.
Trump’s approval rating has dropped among a range of religious groups, including white evangelicals – though they remain strongly supportive.
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