Numbers, Facts and Trends Shaping Your World
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Differences between the social media and mainstream press come into clearer relief when we look at specific stories that get attention week to week. This level of analysis reveals first and foremost how infrequently social media and the traditional press share the same agenda. Blogs, as seen in other measures, match up most often but […]
New Pew-Templeton Survey of 19 African Nations Finds Signs of Tolerance and Tensions Between the Faiths Download a PDF in English Français Português Washington, D.C.—The vast majority of people in many sub-Saharan African nations are deeply committed to one or the other of the world’s two largest religions, Christianity and Islam, and yet many continue […]
A 19-country survey by the Pew Forum reveals that the vast majority of people in many sub-Saharan African nations are deeply committed to Christianity or Islam, and yet many continue to practice elements of traditional African religions.
Most people in sub-Saharan Africa now identify with either Christianity or Islam. In most of the 19 countries surveyed by the Pew Research Center’s Forum on Religion & Public Life, 90% or more of the respondents say they belong to one of these faiths. This is in sharp contrast with the religious composition of the […]
Side by side with their high levels of commitment to Christianity and Islam, many people in the countries surveyed retain beliefs and rituals that are characteristic of traditional African religions. In four countries, for instance, half or more of the population believes that sacrifices to ancestors or spirits can protect them from harm. In addition, […]
The survey finds that Muslims tend to view Christians as tolerant, honest and respectful of women. Similarly, in most countries half or more of Christians say Muslims are honest, devout and respectful of women. In roughly half of the countries, majorities also say they trust people who have religious values different than their own. In […]
Washington, D.C.—In a 10:00 a.m. EDT conference call for journalists on Thursday, April 15, 2010, the Pew Research Center’s Forum on Religion & Public Life will discuss its new survey that explores the role of religion in the lives and societies of sub-Saharan Africans. CONTACT Mary SchultzCommunications Manager202.419.4556mschultz@pewresearch.org/pewresearch-org/religion “Tolerance and Tension: Islam and Christianity in […]
The Gulf of Mexico oil spill, a fixture in the headlines for over a month, narrowly edged some attention-grabbing election results as the top story last week. The legislative effort to regulate Wall Street drove economic coverage and two international stories rounded out the roster of top subjects.