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
-
Religion and Security: The New Nexus in International Relations
10:00am-11:30am Washington, D.C. Speakers: Ambassador Robert A. Seiple (Ret.), Founder and Chairman of the Board, Institute for Global Engagement; co-editor, Religion & Security Colonel Charles P. Borchini, USA (Ret.), Research Fellow, Center for Emerging Threats and Opportunities, USMC Moderator: Dr. Pauletta Otis, Senior Fellow in Religion & International Affairs, Pew Forum on Religion & Public […]
-
Religion and the Environment: Polls Show Strong Backing for Environmental Protection Across Religious Groups
In contrast to abortion, gay marriage and other hot-button cultural issues, which divide most religious groups in the United States, there is a fairly strong consensus across faith traditions on environmental policy, according to recent polls sponsored by the Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life. Nevertheless, conservative Christians and some minorities are not quite […]
-
Liberty and Power: A Dialogue on Religion and U.S. Foreign Policy in an Unjust World
Bryan Hehir, Michael Walzer, Charles Krauthammer, Louise Richardson, and Shibley Telhami Pew Forum Dialogues on Religion & Public Life E.J. Dionne Jr., Jean Bethke Elshtain, Kayla Drogosz, Series Editors Executive Summary (.pdf) Order the book Save 20% with discount flyer How a nation “commits itself to freedom” has long been at the heart of debates […]
-
American Jews and the Current Challenges of Church-State Separation
10:00am-11:30am Washington, D.C. MR. BOB WEINBERG: Friends, we are about to begin the program while you continue to enjoy this delicious luncheon. And the speakers, I’m sure, will be up to the challenge of competing with the clacking of the knives and forks. I’m Bob Weinberg, the president of the American Association of Jewish Lawyers […]
-
Anglicanism and Global Affairs: The Windsor Report and Beyond
Noon – 2 p.m. Westminster, London, England Speakers: The Rt. Rev. Dr. Josiah Idowu-Fearon, Archbishop, Anglican Church of Nigeria The Most Rev. Frank T. Griswold, Presiding Bishop, Episcopal Church USA Dr. David Martin, Professor of Sociology, London School of Economics (Emeritus) Moderator: Dr. Timothy Samuel Shah, Senior Fellow in Religion & International Affairs, The Pew […]
-
Liberty and Power: A Dialogue on Religion and U.S. Foreign Policy
10:00am-Noon Washington, D.C. Speakers: J. Bryan Hehir, Parker Gilbert Montgomery Professor of the Practice of Religion and Public Life, John F. Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University Charles Krauthammer, Columnist, The Washington Post* Walter Russell Mead, Henry Kissinger Senior Fellow, Council on Foreign Relations Louise Richardson, Executive Dean, Radcliffe Institute for Advanced Study, Harvard University […]
-
Pushing the Envelope? The Political Activities of Religious Organizations in Campaign 2004
10:30am-Noon Washington, D.C. Speakers: Richard Land, President, Southern Baptist Convention’s Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission Robert Tuttle, Professor of Law, George Washington University Law School Ronald Walters, Director, African American Leadership Institute; Professor of Government and Politics, University of Maryland Moderator: Luis Lugo, Director, The Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life LUIS LUGO: We […]
-
Politics and the Pulpit 2004: A Guide to the Internal Revenue Restrictions on the Political Activity of Religious Organizations
Note: An updated version of this report is now available as Politics and the Pulpit: 2008. During every election cycle, many religious congregations find themselves wondering what role, if any, they can play in the political process. Can a minister, rabbi, imam or other member of the clergy endorse a candidate from the pulpit or […]
-
Views of Islam Remain Sharply Divided
Plurality Sees Islam as More Likely to Encourage Violence
-
Views of Islam Remain Sharply Divided
Plurality Sees Islam as More Likely to Encourage Violence Despite the U.S. war in Iraq and the continuing threat of terrorism at home, public attitudes toward Islam have remained stable over the past year. Roughly four-in-ten Americans (39%) say they have a favorable impression of Islam, while about as many (37%) say they have an […]
REfine Your Selection
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.
