Around the World, Many People Are Leaving Their Childhood Religions
In many places surveyed, 20% or more of all adults have left their childhood religious group. Christianity and Buddhism have had especially large losses.
Numbers, Facts and Trends Shaping Your World
In many places surveyed, 20% or more of all adults have left their childhood religious group. Christianity and Buddhism have had especially large losses.
Large shares of adults in most of the 36 countries we surveyed say religion helps society rather than harms it.[2. numoffset=”2″ In the U.S., we previously asked very similar questions about the impact of religion on society using a slightly different scale. For more, read the 2023 report “Spirituality Among Americans.”] Most also say religion […]
Many in the region hold generally positive views of religion, but few want religious leaders to be involved in politics.
Across the 36 countries surveyed, people’s views on the importance of religion to national identity vary widely. Large shares in middle-income countries say being a member of the historically predominant religion in their country is very important to truly sharing the national identity – for example, to being truly Filipino or truly Nigerian. In high-income […]
About three-in-ten are “cultural” or former Catholics, or have other ties to the faith. Read about these groups and why some say they left the religion.
By some measures, the world’s most religious countries are mostly in the Middle East, South and Southeast Asia, sub-Saharan Africa and Latin America.
Long-term analysis of 198 countries and territories shows government restrictions on religion and social hostilities toward religious groups go hand in hand.
The gender gap in American religion is shrinking. Historically, women have been more religious than men. But the gap is smaller than it once was.
As a kid, most Americans say they were raised in a religion, went to religious services at least monthly, and had at least some religious education. Religious Landscape Study by Pew Research Center.
Read more about Americans’ views about religious organizations and their effects on society, as well as the separation of church and state. Religious Landscape Study by Pew Research Center.
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