Why Do Some Americans Leave Their Religion While Others Stay?
Many U.S. adults (35%) have moved on from the religion of their youth. Yet most Americans have not, including a majority – 56% – who still identify with their childhood religion.
Religion
Sign up for our Religion newsletter
Sent weekly on Wednesday
All
Religion
Publications
-
Language and Traditions Are Considered Central to National Identity
Across more than 20 countries surveyed, a median of 91% say being able to speak their country’s most common language is important for being considered a true national. And 81% say sharing their country’s customs and traditions is important for true belonging.
-
Around 4 in 10 Americans have become more spiritual over time; fewer have become more religious
Most Americans are spiritual or religious in some way and many also say their spirituality and level of religiosity have changed over time.
-
A majority of Americans have a friend of a different religion
About six-in-ten U.S. adults say only some (43%) or hardly any or none (18%) of their friends have the same religion they do.
-
China’s Christian population appears to have stopped growing after rising rapidly in the 1980s and ’90s
Between 2010 and 2018, the share of Chinese adults who identify with Christianity remained stable at about 2%.
-
Americans’ Views of the Israel-Hamas War
65% of Americans say Hamas bears a lot of responsibility for the current conflict, compared with 35% who say this about the Israeli government.
-
Spirituality Among Americans
Overall, 70% of U.S. adults describe themselves as spiritual in some way, including 22% who are spiritual but not religious. An overwhelming majority of U.S. adults (83%) say they believe that people have a soul or spirit in addition to their physical body. And 81% say there is something spiritual beyond the natural world, even if we cannot see it.
-
How people around the world view same-sex marriage
Among the 32 places surveyed, support for legal same-sex marriage is highest in Sweden, where 92% of adults favor it, and lowest in Nigeria, where only 2% back it.
-
How people in South and Southeast Asia view religious diversity and pluralism
Nearly all adults in the six countries surveyed say diversity has either a positive or a neutral impact on their country.
-
10 things to know about China’s policies on religion
The Chinese government closely regulates religious activity – here are 10 things to know about their policies on religion.
-
Most Jewish Americans have long-standing connections to Israel
82% of Jewish adults in the United States said caring about Israel is an essential or important part of what being Jewish means to them.
REfine Your Selection
Date
Years
Formats
Regions & Countries
Research Teams
Authors
Signature Reports
Many Religious ‘Nones’ Around the World Hold Spiritual Beliefs
Many religious “nones,” which include atheists and agnostics, in 22 countries hold religious or spiritual beliefs, such as in an afterlife or something beyond the natural world.
47% of U.S. Adults Have a Personal or Family Connection to Catholicism
Nearly half of U.S. adults are connected to Catholicism. Read about going to Mass, Communion, confession and more.
Decline of Christianity in the U.S. Has Slowed, May Have Leveled Off
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.
Key Findings From the Global Religious Futures Project
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.
