ACADEMIC RESEARCH

American Religious Identification Survey 2001

What do adults say in America today when asked about their religion? How many belong to a church, temple, synagogue, mosque or some other place of worship? How many change their religion in the course of their lives? What is the mix of religious identification among American couples? These are among the many probing questions in the first large-scale national survey of religious identification conducted among Americans in the twenty-first century, and summarized in this report.

The Religious Profile of Contemporary America:
Key findings from American Religious Identification Survey, 2001

81% of the American adult population self-identified with a religious group1 77% of American adults identified with a Christian religious group 4% of American adults identified with other faiths and religions    14% of the American adult population self-reported having no religion      5% of the American adult population refused to answer the question: “What is your religion, if any?”

Percentage of American adults who agree that “God exists” – 87%   Percentage of Americans who reported household membership in a church, temple, synagogue or mosque – 54%2     Religious and secular outlook of American adults: “When it comes to your outlook, do you regard yourself as…?” Religious – 37% Somewhat religious – 38% Somewhat secular – 6% Secular –   10% Refused, Don’t know – 9%   Religious switchers - Percentage of American adults who reported that they have changed their religious preference at least once during their lives – 16%.