Biden is only the second Catholic president, but nearly all have been Christians
Although Catholicism has long been one of the largest U.S. religious groups, John F. Kennedy and Joe Biden are the only Catholic presidents.
How lawmakers’ social media activity changed in the days after the U.S. Capitol riot
Social media activity by members of Congress changed in notable ways following the rioting at the Capitol by supporters of President Trump.
A record number of women are serving in the 117th Congress
Women make up just over a quarter of all members of the 117th Congress – the highest percentage in U.S. history.
Once again, nearly all Senate elections reflect states’ presidential votes
The final Senate races of the 2020-21 election cycle continued a pattern: Senate election results are in sync with states’ presidential votes.
Faith on the Hill
When it comes to religious affiliation, the 117th U.S. Congress looks similar to the previous Congress but quite different from Americans overall.
Slim majorities have become more common in the U.S. Senate and House
Regardless of how the runoff elections in Georgia go, the Senate will be closely divided next year. And that is part of a long-running trend.
Government restrictions on religion around the world reached new record in 2018
Government restrictions in 2018 were at their highest level since 2007, when Pew Research Center began tracking these trends.
Restrictions on religion among the 25 most populous countries, 2007-2018
Among the 25 most populous countries, India, Egypt, Indonesia, Pakistan and Russia had the highest levels of overall restrictions on religion in 2018, while Japan, South Africa, Italy, Brazil and the United States had the fewest restrictions.
In 2018, Government Restrictions on Religion Reach Highest Level Globally in More Than a Decade
In 2018, the global median level of government restrictions on religion – that is, laws, policies and actions by officials that impinge on religious beliefs and practices – continued to climb, reaching an all-time high since Pew Research Center began tracking these trends in 2007.
Election night marks the end of one phase of campaign 2020 – and the start of another
We developed this explainer to help people understand how, and why, the complex U.S. electoral process is even more so this time around.
