Religion

reportJun 9, 2025

Bar chart showing that Christians are the world’s largest religious group

Globally, Christians remain the largest religion category in number, while Muslims and religiously unaffiliated people were the fastest-growing groups from 2010 to 2020. The rise of the “nones” was fueled by switching out of Christianity.

Interactive table: Religious Composition by Country, 2010-2020

short readAug 22, 2025

data essayJun 25, 2025

reportJun 16, 2025

Woman praying with rosary beads in hands

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reportJul 11, 2013

Public Esteem for Military Still High

More than three-quarters of U.S. adults (78%) say members of the military contribute “a lot” to society’s well-being, according to a new survey of Americans’ views on various professions. By contrast, just 37% of Americans think the clergy contribute a lot, putting religious leaders well behind teachers, medical doctors, scientists and engineers.
short readsJul 9, 2013

Most Muslims say they fast during Ramadan

A survey of more than 38,000 Muslims in 39 countries and territories found that a median of 93% say they fast during Ramadan.
short readsJul 8, 2013

Global restrictions on religion increased following the Arab Spring

In 2011, a strong majority of the world’s population lived in countries with high religious restrictions.
short readsJul 2, 2013

Egypt’s restrictions on religion coincide with lack of religious tolerance

In Egypt, the government’s restrictions on religion also are coupled with a Muslim public that is considerably less tolerant of religious pluralism than Muslims elsewhere.
reportJul 2, 2013

Growth of the Nonreligious

About half of Americans say the growing number of “people who are not religious” is bad for American society. But a similar share say either that this trend is good or that it does not make much difference, according to a new survey by the Pew Research Center.
reportJun 27, 2013

Canada’s Changing Religious Landscape

As Canadians prepare to celebrate Canada Day on July 1, a new Pew Research Center analysis of Canadian census and survey data finds that more Canadians belong to minority faiths than ever before. In addition, the number of Canadians with no religious affiliation has been rising, and attendance at religious services has been dropping.
short readsJun 26, 2013

Many American Catholics at odds with Vatican on homosexuality

Four-in-ten Catholics say there is “a lot” of conflict between their personal religious beliefs and homosexuality.
fact sheetJun 26, 2013

High Court Strikes Down DOMA but Leaves Fate of Proposition 8 Uncertain

The U.S. Supreme Court has ruled the federal Defense of Marriage Act unconstitutional. The high court declined to rule on Proposition 8, leaving the legal status of same-sex marriage in California unclear. Read our legal analysis of the two major decisions.
short readsJun 25, 2013

How LGBT adults see society and how the public sees them

Two Pew Research Center surveys — one of gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender adults and the other of the American public — found a common thread: that society as a whole has become more accepting of gays and lesbians.
short readsJun 20, 2013

For religious LGBT adults, more commitment sometimes brings more conflict

Lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender adults are generally less religious than U.S. society as a whole, a recent Pew Research Center survey found. About half (51%) declare any religious affiliation at all, versus close to eight-in-ten U.S. adults; about a fifth (17%) are both religiously affiliated and say religion is very important in their lives, […]

Signature Reports

reportFeb 26, 2025

After years of decline, the U.S. Christian share now shows signs of leveling off. The new Religious Landscape Study explores trends in identity, beliefs and practices.

data essayDec 21, 2022

The Global Religious Futures (GRF) project is jointly funded by The Pew Charitable Trusts and The John Templeton Foundation. Here are some big-picture findings from the GRF, together with context from other Pew Research Center studies.

reportMay 21, 2025