The religious composition of the 117th Congress
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January 6, 2021
** Religion & Public Life
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** Faith on the Hill: The religious composition of the 117th Congress ([link removed])
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When it comes to religious affiliation, the 117th U.S. Congress looks similar to the previous Congress but quite different from Americans overall, according to a new Pew Research Center analysis ([link removed]) .
While about a quarter (26%) of U.S. adults are religiously unaffiliated – describing themselves as atheist, agnostic or “nothing in particular” – just one member of the new Congress (Sen. Kyrsten Sinema, D-Ariz.) identifies as religiously unaffiliated (0.2%).
Nearly nine-in-ten members of Congress identify as Christian (88%), compared with two-thirds of the general public (65%). Congress is both more heavily Protestant (55% vs. 43%) and more heavily Catholic (30% vs. 20%) than the U.S. adult population overall.
** Media mentions
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The facts behind the American Muslim community with Besheer Mohamed ([link removed])
Jan. 6 - American Muslim Project podcast
More members of Congress ID as broadly Protestant: report ([link removed])
Jan. 4 - The Associated Press
117th Congress, like the old, is overwhelmingly Christian, heavily Protestant ([link removed])
Jan. 4 - Religion News Service
** In the news
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Indonesia Islamic council hopes for halal ruling before mass vaccination ([link removed])
Jan. 6 - Reuters
‘No law can order us’: Greek Christians defy COVID ban on Epiphany services ([link removed])
Jan. 6 - Reuters
Warnock, pastor and politician, has role models who did both ([link removed])
Jan. 5 - Religion News Service
Missouri congressman defends ‘a-woman’ end to prayer ([link removed])
Jan. 5 - The Associated Press
As ‘Jericho Marchers’ descend on Washington, local faith leaders brace for attacks ([link removed])
Jan. 5 - Religion News Service
Church of England bishop warns of church closures due to COVID-19 financial losses ([link removed])
Jan. 5 - The Guardian
Niger village attacks: Death toll rises to 100 ([link removed])
Jan. 4 - BBC News
Pakistani Shiites rally against killing of coal miners by IS ([link removed])
Jan. 4 - The Associated Press
How the Dalai Lama’s reincarnation ended up in Congress’s $900 billion relief bill ([link removed])
Jan. 1 - The Washington Post *
Several Black pastors break with the Southern Baptist Convention over a statement on race ([link removed])
Dec. 23 - The Washington Post *
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