Buddhism’s Recent Decline in East Asia
Buddhism is the only major religion in the world with a falling number of adherents. The decline is especially pronounced in East Asia, including China, South Korea and Japan.
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From Roe to Stenberg: A History of Key Abortion Rulings by the Supreme Court
Navigate this document Roe v. Wade The Post-Roe Court Casey and Stenberg Reproductive issues were largely a private affair early in American history. Although abortion was deemed illegal under English common law, the state rarely took any interest in prosecuting those cases that became public. Public attitudes changed dramatically in the early 19th century, driven […]
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View from Pakistan
Prior to the Bhutto Assassination, Public Opinion Was Increasingly Opposed to Terrorism
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Lethal Injection on Trial: An Analysis of the Arguments Before the Supreme Court in Baze v. Rees
On Jan. 7, 2008, the U.S. Supreme Court will hear arguments in Baze v. Rees, a case that challenges the constitutionality of lethal injection as it currently is administered by the federal government and 36 states. In the case, the court will attempt to determine the standard that lower courts should employ when evaluating whether […]
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An Impassioned Debate: An Overview of the Death Penalty in America
(Updated June 26, 2008) In this article: The role of the courts Lethal injection and the Baze case Child rape and the Kennedy case The history of the death penalty The death penalty worldwide Few public policy issues have inflamed passions as consistently and as strongly as the debate over capital punishment. Religious communities have […]
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Death Penalty Timeline
Timeline provided by Stateline.org Return to the death penalty issue page The Death Penalty Since 1972 (Links to U.S. Supreme Court decisions provided by oyez.org and the Web site of the U.S. Supreme Court) 1972 Furman v. Georgia: The U.S. Supreme Court effectively voids 40 state death penalty statutes and suspends capital punishment, ruling that […]
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Science in America: Religious Belief and Public Attitudes
The United States is the most religious of the advanced industrial democracies. At the same time, American scientists are recognized to be leaders in many areas of scientific research and application. This combination of widespread religious commitment and leadership in science and technology greatly enlarges the potential for conflict between faith and science in the […]
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Signature Reports
Religion Holds Steady in America
Analysis of our polls and other data shows no clear evidence of a religious revival among young adults. Read more about religiousness by age and gender.
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.
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.
