Religion around the world is in a state of flux

A Pew Research Center Study shows that younger adults worldwide are less religious than older ones and that more people think religion plays a less important role than it did 20 years ago. However, there is substantial variation based on where people live.

People in North America are most likely to say that religion’s role has diminished, followed by Europeans. In Pacific-Asian countries, young adults were divided. The strongest feelings that religious influence is growing were in Indonesia and the Philippines. Similar feelings were found in Nigeria and Kenya.

Results come from this month’s “A Changing World: Global Views on Diversity, Gender Equality, Family Life and the Importance of Religion”

Pew also asked whether people would support a greater role for religion. Indonesia, Nigeria, Kenya and Tunisia were most strongly in favor. The countries that were most skeptical included Sweden, Franc, the Netherlands and Spain. The United States was much more in favor of a greater influence for religion, 51 percent compared to 18 percent who were opposed.

We are following Pew’s lead on this and going into a period when we will be publishing several guides on religion to accompany earlier guides on American Jews and Muslims.