Pope Francis and public opinion: Key findings from our surveys
At least 80% of Catholics have expressed a favorable opinion of Pope Francis in 10 of the 15 U.S. surveys in which we have asked about the pope since 2013.
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At least 80% of Catholics have expressed a favorable opinion of Pope Francis in 10 of the 15 U.S. surveys in which we have asked about the pope since 2013.
Views vary on other ideas, such as recognizing same-sex marriages. Most see Pope Francis as a change in the church’s direction, and he’s broadly popular.
Pope Francis is broadly popular in much of Latin America and the U.S., but favorability has fallen in the Latin American countries surveyed.
Korean American adults are much less likely than adults in South Korea to be religiously unaffiliated or to be Buddhist.
Adults in Indonesia, Bangladesh and the Philippines are the most likely to say it is important to have a leader who stands up for people with their religious beliefs.
Few are religiously affiliated, but many in the region hold religious or spiritual beliefs and engage in traditional rituals.
Most say Francis represents change in the church. And many say the church should allow priests to marry and let Catholics use birth control.
In the United States, 21% of adults overall say they fast for certain periods during holy times.
Indonesia is about 87% Muslim and 11% Christian. Roughly 242 million Muslims and 29 million Christians live in Indonesia.
Most Americans say religion’s influence is shrinking, and about half (48%) see conflict between their own religious beliefs and mainstream American culture.
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