Protestantism

The vast majority of Americans still believe in God, but there are strong signs that many are less certain about this belief than in years past.

There has been a modest drop in overall rates of belief in God and participation in religious practices. But religiously affiliated Americans are as observant as before.

It’s a fascinating time for conversations about faith in the United States, with Pope Francis set to visit, a presidential election on the horizon and major trends reshaping the country’s religious landscape.

The religious face of America is largely a Christian one, with roughly seven-in-ten Americans belonging to that faith. But some of the nation’s biggest metropolitan areas have a very different look.

In recent years, the share of Americans who identify with mainline Protestantism has been shrinking significantly, a trend driven partly by generational change.

One big reason evangelical Protestants have not declined at the same rate as other major Christian groups is that they are gaining new converts at a greater rate than they are losing people who were raised in the tradition.

Explore the geographic distribution and demographics of America's major religious groups.

Pew Research Center's survey in 18 Latin American countries and Puerto Rico found that many Latin Americans are leaving Catholicism and joining evangelical Protestant churches. We sat down with senior researcher Neha Sahgal to see how these conclusions were reached.