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
-
New Pew Forum Study Estimates Size, Geographic Distribution and Median Ages of World’s Major Religious Groups
A Third of Adults Under 30 Are Unaffiliated; U.S. Protestant Population Dips Below 50% Washington, D.C. — A new, comprehensive demographic study of more than 230 countries and territories conducted by the Pew Research Center’s Forum on Religion & Public Life finds that more than eight-in-ten people worldwide identify with a religious group. The report […]
-
Americans Learned Little About the Mormon Faith, But Some Attitudes Have Softened
Eight-in-ten Americans say they learned little or nothing about the Mormon religion during the 2012 presidential campaign, according to a new Pew Research Center poll. At the same time, poll findings suggest some warming of attitudes toward Mormonism, especially among religious groups that voted heavily for Mitt Romney.
-
Election 2012 Post Mortem: White Evangelicals and Support for Romney
Leading up to the election, there was speculation about how strongly white evangelical Protestants would support a Mormon candidate. According to a new Pew Research Center analysis of exit poll data, white evangelicals voted for Mitt Romney with as much enthusiasm as his other supporters did.
-
Religious Groups’ Official Positions on Same-Sex Marriage
In recent years, same-sex marriage has been a contentious subject within many religious groups in the U.S. Here is an overview of where 16 religious groups stand on this issue.
-
Same-Sex Marriage in the Courts
The U.S. Supreme Court stepped squarely into the same-sex marriage debate when it agreed on Dec. 7, 2012, to review two important lower court decisions involving gay marriage. Find out what that may mean for the future of same-sex marriage in the U.S.
-
Overview of Same-Sex Marriage in the United States
Across the U.S., a fierce debate is taking place between those who hope all gays and lesbians will soon have the right to marry and those who believe that same-sex marriage is helping to undermine heterosexual marriage. Read about the history and current status of the same-sex marriage debate.
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.
