Pew Research on Influence of Religion in America, Christianity & Politics
3 April 2024 |
The Pew Research Center survey reveals a growing concern among adults in the United States about the diminishing role of religion in American life, with 80% perceiving its influence as waning, the highest ever in such surveys. This decline is largely viewed negatively, with 49% unhappy about this trend. Despite this, a clear majority, 57% of U.S. adults, hold a positive view of religion’s impact on society. The survey, conducted among 12,693 respondents, highlights several key points:
1. Perception of Religion’s Influence: A significant portion of Americans believe religion’s role is diminishing, and this is generally seen as undesirable. Additionally, about half of the population values having a president with strong religious beliefs, regardless of whether those beliefs align with their own.
2. Religious Identity and Political Divide: There’s a noticeable discomfort across both religious and nonreligious Americans regarding their beliefs’ alignment with mainstream culture and the political landscape. The sentiment of being at odds with mainstream culture and the avoidance of religious discussions have both risen.
3. Political Polarization on Religion: The survey uncovers stark partisan divides on the role of religion in governance, with Republicans more inclined towards religious influence in laws and governance than Democrats.
4. Presidential Candidates and Religion: Few Americans view the leading presidential candidates, Biden and Trump, as very religious. However, there are differences in perception based on political affiliation, with respective party supporters believing each candidate advocates for people with their religious beliefs to varying extents.
5. Christianity and Politics: The concept of “Christian nationalism” is discussed, highlighting no significant change in public awareness or opinion of it in the last couple years, despite increased media attention. The survey notes a divide in opinions on how far conservative Christians and secular liberals go in influencing government and education with their values.
6. Views on Church and State: Americans are split on the influence the Bible should have on U.S. laws, with about half supporting some level of biblical influence and the other half opposing it. The survey shows little change in attitudes towards the enforcement of church-state separation and the establishment of Christianity as the official religion.
The findings underscore a complex landscape of religious sentiment, identity, and its intersection with politics in the U.S., marked by concerns over diminishing religious influence, partisan divides, and debates over the role of religion in public life.
PBS News Hour has a segment covering the article here and the full article can be read on Pew Research’s website here, with subsequent pages of the article featuring an in-depth analysis of Chapter 1 – the public’s perceptions of religion’s role in public life, Chapter 2 – views of presidential candidates and their religious engagement, and Chapter 3 – Christian nationalism and views of the U.S. as a Christian nation.
Before you take off… When you give to Adventist Today you are supporting a safe space for open, meaningful discussion in the Adventist community. It’s 2024 Spring Fundraiser time at AT and we are counting on YOU to help us serve more and more Adventists around the world with accessible, independent journalism.
Thank you for giving generously to build the future of AT.
Donate to AT by clicking here: atoday.org/donate
