religion in the United States
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| religion in the United States | |
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| Name | Religion in the United States |
| Caption | Religious diversity in the United States |
| Population | 331 million (2020 census) |
| Major religions | Christianity, Judaism, Islam, Buddhism, Hinduism, Unaffiliated |
| Languages | English, Spanish, other |
religion in the United States
Religious life in the United States encompasses a broad array of beliefs, institutions, and practices shaped by migration, legal frameworks, and social movements. Major traditions such as Roman Catholicism, Protestantism, Judaism, Islam, Buddhism, and Hinduism coexist alongside indigenous faiths, new religious movements like the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and Unitarian Universalism, and a growing number of religiously unaffiliated Americans. Demographic trends documented by organizations such as the Pew Research Center, the United States Census Bureau, and the U.S. Religious Census show shifting patterns in affiliation, attendance, and belief.
Overview and Demographics
The religious landscape is tracked by institutions like the Pew Research Center, the Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life, the Association of Statisticians of American Religious Bodies, and the Public Religion Research Institute, which compile data from the United States Census Bureau and surveys by the General Social Survey. Population centers such as New York City, Los Angeles, Chicago, Houston, and Miami reflect high religious diversity with communities tied to migration from countries like Mexico, India, China, Philippines, and Nigeria. Studies contrast trends in regions such as the Bible Belt (including Alabama, Mississippi, Georgia), the secularizing New England states (including Massachusetts and Vermont), and the religiously plural West Coast (including California and Washington (state)). Metrics include measures from the General Social Survey, the American Religious Identification Survey, and denominational reports from bodies like the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops and the National Baptist Convention.
Major Religions and Denominations
Christianity remains the largest family of faiths, with major branches including Roman Catholicism (led in the United States by figures listed in the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops), mainline Protestant denominations such as the United Methodist Church, the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, and the Presbyterian Church (USA), and evangelical and Pentecostal groups including the Southern Baptist Convention, the Assemblies of God, and the Full Gospel Business Men's Fellowship International. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and the Seventh-day Adventist Church represent distinct American-born Christian movements. Jewish life is represented by organizations like the Union for Reform Judaism, the United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism, and the Orthodox Union. Muslim organizations include the Islamic Society of North America and the Council on American–Islamic Relations. Buddhist communities gather around institutions such as the Soka Gakkai International USA and the Tibetan Buddhist centers associated with figures like the Dalai Lama. Hindu organizations include the Hindu American Foundation and temple networks from diasporas originating in India and Nepal. Indigenous spiritualities persist among nations such as the Navajo Nation and the Lakota people. New religious movements and alternative spiritualities include the Scientology movement, the Bahá'í Faith, and communities linked to leaders like Paramahansa Yogananda.
History and Development
Religious history traces back to colonial-era settlements like Jamestown, Virginia and Plymouth Colony where groups such as the Puritans, Quakers, and Catholics established congregations. The First Great Awakening and the Second Great Awakening fostered revivalism that propelled figures such as Jonathan Edwards and Charles Finney and gave rise to denominations including the Methodist Episcopal Church and the Baptist movement. The Second Vatican Council influenced American Catholic practice; immigration waves in the 19th and 20th centuries brought communities from Ireland, Germany, Italy, Poland, and later from Latin America and Asia, reshaping institutions like the Archdiocese of New York and seminaries such as Harvard Divinity School and Yale Divinity School. Social movements intersected with religion during events like the Abolitionist movement, the Civil Rights Movement with leaders such as Martin Luther King Jr. and organizations like the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, and the Temperance movement.
Religion and Politics
Religious affiliation has consistently influenced American politics through groups like the Moral Majority, the Religious Right, the Religious Freedom Restoration Act debates, and institutions such as the Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights when faith coalitions engage policy. Presidents including George Washington, Abraham Lincoln, Franklin D. Roosevelt, Ronald Reagan, and Barack Obama invoked religious rhetoric in public addresses; faith-based initiatives have been administered under administrations from Jimmy Carter to George W. Bush. Court cases such as Everson v. Board of Education, Engel v. Vitale, Lemon v. Kurtzman, and Burwell v. Hobby Lobby Stores, Inc. shaped jurisprudence on religion and public life. Lobbying organizations like the Christian Coalition and interfaith groups like the National Council of Churches influence legislation on issues including abortion, same-sex marriage, and conscientious objection.
Social and Cultural Influence
Religious institutions operate extensive networks in education, healthcare, and social services via organizations such as Catholic Charities USA, The Salvation Army, Lutheran Services in America, and university systems including Notre Dame, Georgetown University, and Brigham Young University. Religious media include outlets like Christianity Today, The Jewish Daily Forward, and broadcasters such as EWTN and PBS (TV network). Cultural contributions appear in literature associated with authors like Flannery O'Connor, Toni Morrison, and Herman Melville; music traditions span from gospel music and figures like Mahalia Jackson to Jewish liturgical composers and Islamic nasheed performers. Interreligious dialogue occurs through bodies like the Interfaith Alliance and events such as the Parliament of the World's Religions.
Religious Freedom and Legal Issues
Constitutional protections stem from the First Amendment to the United States Constitution and have been interpreted through decisions of the Supreme Court of the United States and legislation including the Religious Freedom Restoration Act. Legal disputes involve cases concerning prayer in schools, religious accommodation in the workplace adjudicated in Employment Division v. Smith (prompting Congress to pass RFRA), and zoning disputes for houses of worship addressed in Churches and the Fair Housing Act-related litigation. Federal agencies such as the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom monitor global religious persecution, while domestic civil liberties are defended by organizations including the American Civil Liberties Union and the Becket Fund for Religious Liberty.