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.
About one-fifth of Israeli Jews (22%) have switched from one Jewish group to another since childhood.
Most identify as Buddhist or unaffiliated, and religious “switching” over a person’s lifetime is common.
Christians remain the largest religious group, and Muslims grew the fastest from 2010 to 2020. Read how the global share of Buddhists, Hindus, Jews and the religiously unaffiliated changed.
Find out why US adults who were raised Protestant stay in or leave the faith, and how they experienced religion as kids. Also discover why others join.
This section describes the methods used to estimate religious composition at the country level, regionally and globally; our procedures for measuring religious groups’ demographic characteristics and their religious “switching” rates; as well as methodological challenges that we considered in some countries. The final section lists the 201 countries and territories that make up each of […]
A majority of adults still identify with their childhood religion, but 35% don’t. Read about when and why Americans may switch faiths or stay.
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.
Young adults today are less religious than older adults by traditional measures. But when it comes to spirituality, the differences are smaller.
Find out how adults who were raised as “nones” experienced religion as kids, and why they say they do – or don’t – affiliate with a religion now.
Notifications