A new Pew Research Center analysis finds Americans’ perceptions of religion’s public role are shifting, with a growing share saying faith is regaining prominence in national life.
Drawing on two surveys fielded in early and mid-2025 and encompassing nearly 18,500 U.S. adults, the study is part of Pew’s continuing work on religion and public life.
By February 2025, almost one-third of adults (31%) said religion is re-emerging as a stronger force in American life, a sharp jump from 18% a year earlier — then a two-decade low. This represents the highest perceived religious influence in about 15 years.
Although a majority (68%) still believes religion’s influence is waning, that share has fallen markedly from 80% in 2024, signaling a broader movement toward more favorable views of faith in the public square.
From 2019 to 2025, favorable views of religion’s societal role have risen steadily, with nearly six in ten Americans (59%) now saying religion’s influence is good — regardless of whether they think it’s growing or shrinking.
By contrast, 20% view religion’s impact negatively, while 21% are neutral or unsure.
Among Christians, White evangelical Protestants are most positive, with 92% expressing a favorable view — the highest of any group.
Strong majorities of Black Protestants (75%), Catholics (71%), and White non-evangelical Protestants (67%) also say religion’s role is a good thing.
Positivity drops sharply among the religiously unaffiliated, with just 11% of agnostics and 6% of atheists favorable; Jewish Americans and those with “nothing in particular” are more mixed or neutral.
Partisanship matters as well: roughly 78% of Republicans and GOP-leaners view religion’s public role positively, compared with 40% of Democrats and Democratic-leaners.
Age splits are evident too, with 71% of those 65+ positive versus 46% among adults ages 18–29.
At the same time, more Americans perceive friction between personal faith and mainstream culture, as 58% in 2025 report at least “some conflict,” up 10 points from 2024.
Among Christian groups, White evangelical Protestants are most likely to sense this cultural clash, at 80%
