Survey: Religion’s influence wanes; Americans concerned

KYLER NIXON | UNSPLASH

A Pew Research Center survey found most U.S. adults believe religion's impact on public life is waning.

Americans believe religion is losing influence in public life, according to a survey by Pew Research Center.

Most U.S. adults interviewed in a national survey agree religion’s impact is decreasing and see it as a bad thing. There also is a growing belief that people’s own religious beliefs conflict with the society they live in and prefer not to talk about religious disagreements.

The survey found:

• 48% of respondents say there is a “great deal” of conflict or “some” conflict between their own religious beliefs and mainstream American culture, up from 42% who said this in 2020.

• 29% think of themselves as part of a minority group because of their religious beliefs, up from 24% in 2020.

• 41% say that when they disagree with someone about religion, the best thing to do is to avoid discussing religion at all, up from 33% who said the same in 2019.

Most Jewish Americans and the religiously unaffiliated think conservative Christians have gone too far to impose their religious values on the government and public schools. Most Christians, on the other hand, think secular liberals have gone too far in trying to keep religion out of government and public schools.

Eighty percent of adults say religion is losing influence – which is up 6 percentage points from 2022 and is as high as it’s been since Pew started asking the question in 2001. By comparison, 18% say religion is gaining influence.

Majorities in every religious group analyzed agree that religion’s influence in public life is shrinking, as do most Republicans and Democrats, and most age groups.

After asking respondents whether they think religion is gaining or losing influence in researchers posed a follow-up question: Is this a good thing or a bad thing?

Forty-nine percent say religion is losing influence and it’s bad for society, while 8% say religion is gaining influence and is good for society. Taken together, 57% report a positive view of religion’s impact – a larger share than found in 2019 and 2022.

Fewer adults express a negative view of religion by saying its influence is shrinking and it’s a good thing (13%) or its influence is growing and is bad (6%). About one-in-five adults (21%) say that it doesn’t make much difference whether religion’s influence is growing or shrinking.

Most Christians report a positive view of religion’s impact on America, saying either that its influence is declining and is bad (64%) or that its influence is growing and is good (11%).

Most atheists and agnostics express a negative view. Jews and people who describe their religion as “nothing in particular” are divided between those who have a positive view of religion, those who have a negative view, and those who say changes in religion’s influence don’t make much of a difference.

Republicans and people who lean Republican are far more likely than Democrats and Democratic-leaning adults to express a positive view of religion. Older adults are more positive toward religion than younger Americans.

Comments