Christianity, Pluralism, and Public Life

RELIGIOUS BELIEF AND BEHAVIOR
Even though religious adherence is on the decline, the United States remains one of the most religious nations in the West.
Consider some common measures of religious practice: 55 percent of Americans in a 2018 study said they pray every day,
more than double those in Canada (25 percent), and far exceeding numbers in Great Britain (6 percent), France (10 percent),
and Germany (9 percent). A majority of Americans (53 percent) also said that religion was “very important” in their lives,
compared with 27 percent of Canadians, 10 percent in Great Britain, 11 percent in France, and 10 percent in Germany. More
than a third of adults in the United States (36 percent) attend religious services weekly, more than double the percentage in
Europe (14 percent). 10
Other measures show the significance of religion in American life. In December 2018, the Gallup poll asked respondents to
rate the importance of religion in their life on a scale from very, fairly, to not very important. A majority of respondents (51
percent) said religion was very important, and another 21 percent said it was fairly important. 11 In a 2017 study, Pew Research
Center asked respondents an open-ended question: “What about your life do you find meaningful, fulfilling, or satisfying?”
Although family was the most common answer, one in five respondents (20 percent) mentioned spirituality or faith. More
than two of five evangelical Protestants (43 percent), 32 percent of black Protestants, 18 percent of mainline Protestants, and
16 percent of Catholics mentioned something related to their faith or religion. 12
RELIGIOUS IDENTITY AND PARTISANSHIP
Religious affiliation correlates highly with partisanship and voting. Two religious groups, black Protestants and the
religiously unaffiliated, are an important part of the Democratic base. One religious group, evangelicals, are an essential
Republican voting bloc. 13 Catholics and mainline Protestants are more evenly divided and have been swing voters in recent
elections.
Consider the results of a Pew Research Center survey of validated voters, those confirmed to have participated in the 2016
presidential election. Hillary Clinton received support from 96 percent of black Protestants and 65 percent of the religiously
unaffiliated. In contrast, 77 percent of white evangelicals voted for Donald Trump. The two religious groups of swing voters
slightly favored Trump; 56 percent of mainline Protestants and 52 percent of Catholics voted Republican. 14
Although religious identity and partisanship correlate highly in contemporary American politics, the nature of cause and
effect is not completely clear. Some researchers have demonstrated ways that religious elites help shape the political views of
people in the pews. Yet research on life cycle effects shows that many people develop firm partisan attachments earlier in life
than when they form firm religious commitments. As partisanship and religion have become more connected and polarized,
the results of some recent studies suggest that, at least for some people, partisanship influences their religious identity.
10
Ibid, pp. 64-66. Available at: https://assets.pewresearch.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/11/2018/06/12094011/Appendix-B.pdf.
11
Megan Brenan, “Religion Considered Important to 72 percent of Americans,” Gallup, December 24, 2018, Accessed September 22, 2019.
Available at: https://news.gallup.com/poll/245651/religion-considered-important-americans.aspx.
12
“Where Americans Find Meaning in Life,” Pew Research Center, Report, November 20, 2018, Accessed September 23, 2019. Available at:
https://www.pewforum.org/2018/11/20/where-americans-find-meaning-in-life/.
13
Polling organizations vary widely in how they identify and define evangelical Christians. This survey constructs the category based
on answers to detailed religious affiliation questions, likely the best way to distinguish between Mainline and Evangelical Protestants
with surveys. Each methodology has particular strengths and weaknesses, and each will return slightly different results. Despite these
challenges, the general trends reported about evangelicals and politics are quite similar across studies and reveal consistent patterns.
14
“An Examination of the 2016 Electorate, Based on Validated Voters,” Pew Research Center, August 9, 2018, Accessed September 23, 2019.
Available at: https://www.people-press.org/2018/08/09/an-examination-of-the-2016-electorate-based-on-validated-voters/.
Christianity, Pluralism, and Public Life in the United States | 9