Mystical Experiences
About half of the U.S. public says they have had a religious or mystical experience.
Numbers, Facts and Trends Shaping Your World
Overview of responses Background Technology experts embrace the use of networked communications technologies and are naturally inclined to find them to be useful in social relations, so it is no surprise to see the high level of agreement that the Internet is a tool that gets positive results. Still, quite a few people took advantage […]
Recent events such as the Fort Hood shootings and the arrest of five Muslim American students in Pakistan have raised questions about the threat of homegrown terrorism in the United States. However, the Pew Research Center’s comprehensive portrait of the Muslim American population suggests it is less likely to be a fertile breeding ground for […]
The religious beliefs and practices of Americans do not fit neatly into conventional categories. A new poll by the Pew Research Center’s Forum on Religion & Public Life finds that large numbers of Americans engage in multiple religious practices, mixing elements of diverse traditions. Many say they attend worship services of more than one faith […]
This timeline was written by David Masci, Senior Researcher, Pew Research Center’s Forum on Religion & Public Life. Photo credits: DNA: iStockPhoto; Madrassa: Corbis; Copernican solar system, Corbis; Galileo: Getty Images; Isaac Newton: Corbis; Charles Darwin: Julia Margaret Cameron; Clarence Darrow and William Jennings Bryan: Corbis; Adam: iStockPhoto; Big Bang: Getty Images; Richard Dawkins: Corbis.
Results for this survey are based on telephone interviews conducted under the direction of Princeton Survey Research Associates International among a nationwide sample of 4,013 adults, 18 years of age or older. Interviews were conducted in two waves, the first from August 11-17, 2009 (Survey A) and the second from August 20-27, 2009 (Survey B). […]
While most embrace science and its benefits, strong religious convictions can affect some Americans’ willingness to accept certain theories and discoveries. A new report examines the history of science and religion, the debates about them and how the two have been both adversaries and allies.
While most embrace science and its benefits, strong religious convictions can affect some Americans’ willingness to accept certain theories and discoveries. A new report examines the history of science and religion, the debates about them and how the two have been both adversaries and allies.