A recent study by Lifeway Research reveals that a significant majority of U.S. Protestant churchgoers (71 percent) report having friends with different religious beliefs.
This survey, conducted online from September 19-29, 2023, included 1,008 American Protestant churchgoers selected from a national pre-recruited panel. Respondents identified as Protestant or non-denominational and reported attending religious services at least once a month.
The study highlights that about 44 percent of these churchgoers have agnostic friends, 41 percent have Jewish friends, and 39 percent have atheist friends. Additionally, more than a quarter, 28 percent, have Muslim friends, and around 11 percent have Buddhist and Hindu friends.
About 18 percent claim they do not have friends from any of these religious groups, and another 11 percent are unsure. On average, Protestant churchgoers have friends from at least two other religious groups.
The demographics of churchgoers who are more likely to have inter-religious friendships tend to be younger, male, and more formally educated. Specifically, Protestant churchgoers aged 18-34 are most likely to have agnostic (56 percent), Muslim (40 percent), and Buddhist friends (15 percent). Conversely, those aged 65 and older are more inclined to report having no inter-religious friendships (20 percent), though they also frequently report having Jewish friends (44 percent).
Female churchgoers are more likely than males to report not having friends from other religious groups (23 percent versus 14 percent). Male churchgoers are more likely than females to have Jewish (46 percent versus 36 percent), Muslim (35 percent versus 22 percent), and Hindu friends (14 percent vs. 8 percent).
Educational attainment impacts these friendships as well. Churchgoers with a high school education or less are likelier to lack inter-religious friendships (22 percent) and are less likely to have Jewish (35 percent), atheist (31 percent), or Buddhist friends (8 percent).
Ethnic differences also arise in the data, with African Americans being the most likely to have Muslim friends (54 percent), compared to 20 percent of white Americans. Asian Americans are likely to have Buddhist (34 percent) and Jewish friends (55 percent).
Geography plays a role too. Churchgoers in the Northeast are among the most likely to have Jewish (50 percent), Muslim (38 percent), and Hindu friends (17 percent).
Denominational affiliation influences these friendships as well. Members of Restorationist movement congregations (26 percent), Methodists (25 percent), Lutherans (21 percent), and Baptists (20 percent) are among the most likely to not have friends from other religions. In contrast, non-denominational church members are less likely to report having no non-Christian friends (10 percent).
Within specific denominations, different patterns emerge. Non-denominational attendees frequently have Jewish (47 percent), atheist (43 percent), Muslim (31 percent), and Hindu friends (15 percent). Presbyterians/Reformed churchgoers are among the most likely to have Jewish (54 percent) and Muslim friends (35 percent).
Baptists are often friends with atheists (38 percent) and Muslims (33 percent) but are less likely to have Jewish friends (36 percent). Methodists tend to have many Muslim friends (36 percent) but fewer Jewish friends (15 percent). Lutherans frequently befriend atheists (39 percent) but have fewer Muslim friends (16 percent).
Attendees from larger churches, with 500 or more members, are among the least likely to lack inter-religious friendships (10 percent), whereas those from smaller churches with fewer than 50 attendees are more likely to report this (22 percent).
The study further highlighted that U.S. Protestant churchgoers without evangelical beliefs are more inclined than those with evangelical beliefs to have friends who are atheists (43 percent vs. 35 percent), Muslims (34 percent vs. 23 percent), Buddhists (14 percent vs. 9 percent), and Hindus (14 percent vs. 8 percent).
