Many Religious ‘Nones’ Around the World Hold Spiritual Beliefs
Despite their nonreligious identity, many unaffiliated adults hold spiritual or religious beliefs. About a fifth or more in 22 countries believe in an afterlife, for example.
Numbers, Facts and Trends Shaping Your World
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Religion and spirituality among LGBT Americans
48% of U.S. adults who are LGBT say they identify with a religion, describing themselves as Christian, Jewish, Muslim or an adherent of another religion.
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Many in middle-income countries are uncomfortable with hypothetically having a child who comes out as gay
On balance, people in middle-income countries are more likely to say they would be uncomfortable than comfortable if they had a child who came out as gay or lesbian.
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The number of Christian-majority countries fell between 2010 and 2020
Countries that lost their Christian majorities all saw growing percentages of religiously unaffiliated people.
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Muslim Americans share political attitudes with both the Democratic and Republican parties
Around half of Muslim adults (53%) identify with or lean toward the Democratic Party, while 42% identity with or lean toward the Republican Party.
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In a 2022 survey, most Americans opposed churches endorsing political candidates
Majorities in both parties said in the 2022 survey that churches should avoid political endorsements.
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Globally, 1 in 10 adults under 55 have left their childhood religion
The share of people who retain their childhood religious identity in adulthood varies across religious categories.
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Video: How do American men and women differ religiously?
The gender gap in American religion is shrinking. Historically, women have been more religious than men. But the gap is smaller than it once was.
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Support for Christian prayer in U.S. public schools varies widely by state
Just over half of U.S. adults (52%) say they favor allowing public school teachers to lead their classes in prayers that refer to Jesus.
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How U.S. Muslims compare with other Americans religiously and demographically
U.S. Muslims tend to be younger and more highly educated than other Americans. But they’re similar to Christians on many religiousness measures.
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Americans’ views on abortion differ by state
In 34 states and D.C., more people say abortion generally should be legal than say it generally should be illegal.
Signature Reports
How the Global Religious Landscape Changed From 2010 to 2020
Christians remain the largest religious group, and Muslims grew the fastest from 2010 to 2020. Read how the global share of Buddhists, Hindus, Jews and the religiously unaffiliated changed.
30% of Americans Consult Astrology, Tarot Cards or Fortune Tellers
Most who use astrology (or a horoscope), tarot cards or a fortune teller say they do so just for fun rather than for insights about life.
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.
