Many Countries Favor Specific Religions, Officially or Unofficially
Islam is the most common state religion, but many governments give privileges to Christianity.
Numbers, Facts and Trends Shaping Your World
Religion & Government
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God or the divine is referenced in every state constitution
God or the divine is mentioned at least once in each of the 50 state constitutions and nearly 200 times overall.
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Sub-Saharan Africa experienced largest increase in religious restrictions in 2015
While sub-Saharan Africa had fewer religious restrictions than many other parts of the world in 2015, it experienced a larger increase than any other region.
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Majority of states have all-Christian congressional delegations
The vast majority of the nation’s federal lawmakers (91%) describe themselves as Christians, compared with 71% of U.S. adults who say the same.
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Most Americans oppose churches choosing sides in elections
There has long been a consensus that churches should not endorse specific candidates for public office, and a current law known as the Johnson Amendment prohibits them from involvement in political campaigns.
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6 facts about faith and the inauguration
The trappings of religion have long been part of U.S. presidential inaugurations. Here are six facts on the role faith has played in inaugurations.
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How America Changed During Barack Obama’s Presidency
Pew Research Center President Michael Dimock examines the changes – some profound, some subtle – that the U.S. experienced during Barack Obama’s presidency.
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Faith on the Hill
The share of U.S. adults who describe themselves as Christians has been declining for decades, but the U.S. Congress is about as Christian today as it was in the early 1960s.
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Where the Public Stands on Religious Liberty vs. Nondiscrimination
The U.S. public expresses a clear consensus on the contentious question of whether employers who have religious objections to contraception should be required to provide it in health insurance plans for their employees.
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Most states allow religious exemptions from child abuse and neglect laws
All states prosecute parents whose children come to severe harm through neglect. But in thirty-four states (as well as the District of Columbia, Guam and Puerto Rico), there are exemptions in the civil child abuse statutes when medical treatment for a child conflicts with the religious beliefs of parents.
