Beliefs & Practices

short readsOct 2, 2013

How many Jews are there in the United States?

The number of Jews in the U.S. depends on how one defines a Jew.
reportOct 1, 2013

A Portrait of Jewish Americans

American Jews overwhelmingly say they are proud to be Jewish and have a strong sense of belonging to the Jewish people, but their identity is also changing: 22% of American Jews now say they have no religion.
short readsSep 24, 2013

Nairobi Westgate mall terrorist attack is part of Kenya’s sharp rise in religious hostilities

The number of people killed in religion-related terrorist attacks in Kenya has dramatically increased in recent years.
short readsSep 18, 2013

Headscarf incident in Sudan highlights a global trend

Sudan is one of an increasing number of countries whose governments regulate the wearing of religious symbols or attire, such as head coverings for women or facial hair for men.
short readsSep 17, 2013

Putin’s concerns about extremism shared by other Russians

Vladimir Putin’s op-ed in The New York Times explaining his reasons for opposing U.S. military action against the Syrian regime also touched on worries within his own borders.
short readsSep 13, 2013

What surveys say about worship attendance – and why some stay home

This Sunday is “National Back to Church Sunday,” a coordinated effort by more than 20,000 churches of various Christian denominations to reach out to people who rarely attend worship services. The percentage of Americans who say they “seldom” or “never” attend religious services (aside from weddings and funerals) has risen modestly in the past decade. […]
reportSep 10, 2013

Muslim Publics Share Concerns about Extremist Groups

Survey Report More than two years after the death of Osama bin Laden, concern about Islamic extremism remains widespread among Muslims from South Asia to the Middle East to sub-Saharan Africa. Across 11 Muslim publics surveyed by the Pew Research Center, a median of 67% say they are somewhat or very concerned about Islamic extremism. […]
reportJul 18, 2013

Brazil’s Changing Religious Landscape

As young Catholics gather in Brazil, awaiting Pope Francis’ visit in celebration of World Youth Day, an analysis of census data finds that the share of Brazil’s population that identifies as Catholic has been dropping steadily in recent decades. Over the same period, the percentage of Brazilians who belong to Protestant churches has been rising.
short readsJul 9, 2013

Most Muslims say they fast during Ramadan

A survey of more than 38,000 Muslims in 39 countries and territories found that a median of 93% say they fast during Ramadan.
reportJul 2, 2013

Growth of the Nonreligious

About half of Americans say the growing number of “people who are not religious” is bad for American society. But a similar share say either that this trend is good or that it does not make much difference, according to a new survey by the Pew Research Center.