Just one-third of U.S. Catholics agree with their church that Eucharist is body, blood of Christ

Transubstantiation – the idea that during Mass, the bread and wine used for Communion become the body and blood of Jesus Christ – is central to the Catholic faith. But a new Pew Research Center survey finds that most self-described Catholics don’t believe this core teaching. In fact, nearly seven-in-ten Catholics (69%) say they personally believe that during Catholic Mass, the bread and wine used in Communion “are symbols of the body and blood of Jesus Christ.” Just one-third of U.S. Catholics (31%) say they believe that “during Catholic Mass, the bread and wine actually become the body and blood of Jesus.”

U.S. Jews know a lot about religion – but other Americans know little about Judaism

Compared with other Americans, U.S. Jews have relatively high levels of religious knowledge – including about non-Jewish religions like Christianity, Islam and Sikhism. But most non-Jewish Americans are unable to answer some basic factual questions about Jewish practices, including about the Jewish Sabbath and New Year. This disconnect is apparent in Pew Research Center’s new religious knowledge survey, which asked Americans 32 fact-based multiple-choice questions about religion, each of which had a single correct answer.
Quiz: Test your religious knowledge

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IN THE NEWS

Judge temporarily blocks Arkansas laws banning abortion

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A Catholic bishop in Texas is publicly accusing President Trump of racism

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North Carolina becomes first Southern state to ban state funding for conversion therapy

Aug. 5 - Religion News Service

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Aug. 5 - Reuters

A first at a century-old seminary: A black woman takes charge

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Saudi law changed to permit women to travel without male ‘guardian’

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New Jersey will allow terminally ill patients to end their lives

Aug. 1 - CNN

Death of Hamza bin Laden seen as blow to al-Qaida’s future

Aug. 1 - The New York Times *

Booker, Durbin and Leahy introduce bill to ban death penalty

July 31 - The Hill

Manischewitz is selling all of its kosher food business

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