Biden is only the second Catholic president, but nearly all have been Christians
Although Catholicism has long been one of the largest U.S. religious groups, John F. Kennedy and Joe Biden are the only Catholic presidents.
Numbers, Facts and Trends Shaping Your World
Aleksandra Sandstrom
Former Senior Copy Editor
Aleksandra Sandstrom is a former senior copy editor focusing on religion at Pew Research Center.
Publications
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When Americans think about a specific religion, here are some of the first people who come to mind
More than half of U.S. adults name the pope (47%) or a specific pope (7%) when asked who comes to mind when they think of Catholicism.
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Do state laws on abortion reflect public opinion?
Majorities in four of the seven states that enacted strict new abortion laws in 2019 say abortion should be illegal in all or most cases.
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Amid measles outbreak, New York closes religious exemption for vaccinations – but most states retain it
Most states in the U.S. allow children to be exempt from vaccinations due to religious concerns.
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Lesbian, gay and bisexual Americans are more critical of churches than straight adults are
About seven-in-ten LGB adults said churches and other religious organizations focus too much on rules, compared with half of straight adults.
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Lesbian, gay and bisexual Americans are less religious than straight adults by traditional measures
Gay, lesbian and bisexual adults are substantially less likely than straight adults to affiliate with a religious group or to attend religious services weekly.
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4 facts about religion in New Zealand
Almost all New Zealanders said in a 2011-2012 survey that they would accept a neighbor of a different religion.
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Americans with higher education and income are more likely to be involved in community groups
Nearly six-in-ten Americans participate in some type of community group or organization, including 11% who say they take part in at least four such groups.
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5 facts about the religious makeup of the 116th Congress
The new Congress is slightly more religiously diverse than its predecessor, but it remains overwhelmingly Christian.
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Malala’s 2012 shooting came at time of high social hostilities in Pakistan
Malala Yousafzai’s shooting came at a time when social hostilities involving religion were at a high point, both globally and in Pakistan.
