Faith on the Rise: More Americans Say Religion Has a Positive Impact, Pew Finds

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The share of Americans who say religion has a positive impact on society has climbed sharply over the past five years, according to a new survey – the latest sign in a series of trends that indicate faith is regaining influence in the nation’s life.

The Pew Research Center poll found that 59 percent of U.S. adults have a positive view of religion’s influence on American life – a two-point increase from 2024 (57 percent) and a 10-point jump from 2022 (49 percent). In 2019, it was 52 percent.

A Pew analysis of the data said the share of Americans who view religion’s influence as positive is up “significantly” in recent years, “indicating an overall shift toward” a more favorable perception of faith in public life.

On a different question, the percentage of Americans who say religion is gaining influence also is on the uptick, rising from 18 percent in 2024 to 31 percent this year – the highest level recorded by Pew in 15 years.

“Americans’ views about religion in public life are shifting,” Pew said.

Meanwhile, a majority of Americans (58 percent) now say they sense a conflict between their religious beliefs and mainstream culture – the first time that question has found more than half of respondents expressing such a view. This perspective, Pew said, is “held by roughly half or more of Americans in both political parties.” In 2024, only 48 percent of Americans said they perceived a conflict.

Pew said the findings suggest a broader shift, among all demographics, in how Americans view faith’s role in society.

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“These evolving attitudes on religion in public life appear to be shared widely, rather than confined to specific groups,” the analysis said. “In recent years, Americans across a variety of religious groups, in both political parties and in all age groups have become more likely to say religion is gaining influence, to express positive views about religion, and to feel that their religious beliefs are at least somewhat in conflict with the mainstream.”

The Pew report isn’t the only data showing a soaring interest in religion across America. Bible sales increased 36 percent in September compared to the same month one year earlier, according to Circana BookScan data cited by The Wall Street Journal. The increase was attributed to a string of violent events such as the assassination of Charlie Kirk that left Americans searching for answers and purpose. It wasn’t the first such spike, though: Circana BookScan data in the fall of 2024 showed Bible sales had increased 22 percent compared to the same time frame a year earlier.

And an April Barna survey found that 66 percent of U.S. adults said they had made a personal commitment to Jesus that remains important in their life today – a 12-point increase since 2022 and the highest level recorded since 2012.

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Michael Foust has covered the intersection of faith and news for 20 years. His stories have appeared in Baptist Press, Christianity Today, The Christian Post, the Leaf-Chronicle, the Toronto Star and the Knoxville News-Sentinel. 

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