Beliefs & Practices

short readsApr 4, 2014

U.S. doesn’t rank high in religious diversity

From a global perspective, the United States really is not all that religiously diverse.
short readsMar 17, 2014

Support for gay marriage up among black Protestants in last year, flat among white evangelicals

New Pew Research Center data from 2014 show that just within the past year, growing shares of some Christian groups favor allowing gay and lesbian couples to marry.
reportMar 13, 2014

Worldwide, Many See Belief in God as Essential to Morality
reportMar 6, 2014

U.S. Catholics View Pope Francis as a Change for the Better

One year into his pontificate, Pope Francis remains immensely popular among American Catholics and is widely seen as a force for positive change within the Roman Catholic Church. More than 80% of U.S. Catholics say they have a favorable view of the pontiff.
short readsFeb 25, 2014

Arizona bill sparks debate about religious objections to gay marriage

The bill would allow business owners to cite religious beliefs as a reason for denying services – including to same-sex couples – without fear of legal retribution.
short readsFeb 3, 2014

Bill Nye vs. Ken Ham: Are evolution and religion at odds?

Religion and evolution will take center stage Tuesday evening in Petersburg, Ky., home of the Creation Museum and the site of a debate between Ken Ham, the museum’s founder, and Bill Nye. The topic: “Is creation a viable model of origins in today’s modern scientific era?”
short readsJan 17, 2014

Key findings about growing religious hostilities around the world

Highlights from the fifth annual Pew Research Center study of religious hostilities around the world.
reportJan 14, 2014

Religious Hostilities Reach Six-Year High

A third of the 198 countries studied had a high or very high level of social hostilities involving religion in 2012. About three-in-ten countries had a high or very high level of government restrictions on religion, roughly the same as in 2011.
short readsDec 30, 2013

Russians say Islamic extremist groups are top concern

More than half of Russians say Islamic extremist groups are a major threat to their country.
reportDec 30, 2013

Public’s Views on Human Evolution

While 60% of Americans believe in human evolution, a third reject the idea. Beliefs about evolution differ strongly by religious group and also vary by party affiliation, gender, age and education.