Four-in-ten U.S. adults say it's at least somewhat important for a president to share their religious beliefs
Pew Research Center
 

 

April 22, 2020

 

Religion & Public Life

 

A weekly digest of the Center's latest research on religion and public life in the U.S. and around the world · Subscribe ↗

 

 
(Olivier Douliery via Getty Images)
 

Americans care more about having a moral, ethical president than about having a religious president

 

The character of the person who occupies the Oval Office matters to the vast majority of Americans, according to a recent Pew Research Center survey. Across party lines and religious groups, roughly nine-in-ten or more say it is either somewhat or very important to have a president who lives a moral, ethical life. But Democrats and those who lean toward the Democratic Party are more likely than Republicans and Republican leaners to say it is “very” important (71% vs. 53%). Americans overall are less likely to say it is important to have a president with strong religious beliefs; on this question, Republicans are more likely than Democrats to to prize such a trait.

 
 

Media mentions

 

Orthodox Jewish women are facing an impossible choice right now

April 19 - The Atlantic *

 

Orthodox Easter will test Eastern Europe’s lockdowns

April 16 - Slate

 

Now to the general ...

April 4 - Faith 2020 Podcast

 

In the news

 

‘Plague on a biblical scale’: Hasidic families hit hard by virus

April 21 - The New York Times *

 

Religious group’s mass gatherings across Asia spark virus clusters

April 20 - Bloomberg News *

 

How abortion, guns and church closings made coronavirus a culture war

April 20 - The New York Times *

 

COVID-19 has killed multiple bishops and pastors within the nation’s largest black Pentecostal denomination

April 19 - The Washington Post *

 

In shadow of coronavirus, Muslims face a Ramadan like never before

April 19 - Reuters

 

Opposing church closures becomes new religious freedom cause

April 17 - NPR

 

Trump consults faith leaders on phased-in reopening

April 17 - The Associated Press

 

Prominent Southern Baptist Albert Mohler opposed Trump in 2016. Now, he says he will vote for the president.

April 16 - The Washington Post *

 

Inside the fringe Japanese religion that claims it can cure COVID-19

April 16 - The New York Times *

 

A virus that hits all faiths tests religion’s tie to science

April 15 - The Associated Press

 
 

Support Pew Research Center

 

Please support Pew Research Center with a contribution on the Center’s behalf to our parent organization, The Pew Charitable Trusts.

 
DONATE
 
 

 

Newsletter preferences

View in browser

Unsubscribe

Facebook

Twitter

Instagram

 

* Some websites may require a paid subscription.

 

Pew Research Center is a nonpartisan fact tank. As a neutral source of data and analysis, Pew Research Center does not take policy positions.

 

© 2020 Pew Research Center