Numbers, Facts and Trends Shaping Your World
Across 36 countries surveyed, a fifth or more of all adults have left the religious group in which they were raised. Christianity and Buddhism have experienced especially large losses from this “religious switching,” while rising numbers of adults have no religious affiliation.
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About one-fifth of Israeli Jews (22%) have switched from one Jewish group to another since childhood.
The Religious Landscape Study is a comprehensive survey of more than 35,000 Americans’ religious identities, beliefs and practices that’s been conducted in 2007, 2014 and 2023-24. Pew Research Center.
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.
Nearly three-quarters of U.S. adults (72%) say the COVID-19 pandemic did more to drive the country apart than to bring it together.
When asked what it takes to “truly” belong in a country, many people globally say speaking the local language is key.
Christians will make up 87% of voting members in the Senate and House of Representatives, combined, in the 2025-27 congressional session.
Long-term analysis of 198 countries and territories shows government restrictions on religion and social hostilities toward religious groups go hand in hand.
How do governments and social actors limit religion? Our interactive has tracked restrictions on religion in 198 countries and territories since 2007.
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.
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.
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.
The globe’s 280 million immigrants shape countries’ religious composition. Christians make up the largest share, but Jews are most likely to have migrated.
Few are religiously affiliated, but many in the region hold religious or spiritual beliefs and engage in traditional rituals.
