Latest news with #ReligiousLandscapeStudy
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Should public school teachers be allowed to lead students in prayer? Here's what Americans think
A fresh wave of debate is unfolding across the country over the role of prayer and religion in public schools. Last week, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott signed a law requiring every public school classroom to display the Ten Commandments. Starting in September, every public school classroom in Texas will have to 'visibly display a poster sized at least 16 by 20 inches' with the Ten Commandments, according to the Texas Tribune. This law is part of a broader push by Texas lawmakers to reintroduce Judeo-Christian values into public education. In May, the state legislature also passed a bill allowing schools to offer a daily period for prayer or religious study. Similar efforts elsewhere have faced legal hurdles. In Louisiana, a Ten Commandments law was blocked by a panel of federal appellate judges, who ruled it unconstitutional. And the U.S. Supreme Court blocked the launch of the nation's first religious public charter school in Oklahoma after a 4-4 split left a lower court ruling against the school in place. When it comes to prayer in public schools, where do Americans stand on this question? It depends where you go in the country, according to a new analysis from Pew Research Center. A slim majority of U.S. adults, 52%, say they support allowing teachers to lead their classes in prayers that mention Jesus, while 46% oppose the idea. But behind this breakdown are significant regional differences that point to deep divides among Americans on this question. In states like Mississippi and Alabama, support tops 75%, reflecting the strong religious tradition in much of the South. In contrast, states like Oregon (65%), Vermont (64%) and California (56%) show majority opposition. Meanwhile, in states such as Virginia, Pennsylvania and Arizona, public opinion is so closely divided that no clear majority emerges. In Utah, 45% favor prayer in class, while 54% oppose it, according to Pew. These findings are part of the latest Religious Landscape Study that took an expansive look at the religious shifts in the country. The study also found that when it comes to the display of religious symbols, half of Americans — about 53% — support allowing cities and towns to display religious symbols on public property, with support especially strong among Christians. In contrast, much smaller shares of non-Christian groups support this idea, including 39% of Buddhists, 35% of Muslims, 31% of Hindus and 25% of Jews. In some states, efforts to incorporate prayer and scripture into the school day have been met with opposition, as in Louisiana's effort to have the Ten Commandments displayed in classrooms, which was banned by a federal appeals court as unconstitutional. 'This is a resounding victory for the separation of church and state and public education,' said Heather L. Weaver, a senior staff attorney with the American Civil Liberties Union, per the Associated Press. 'With (the) ruling, the Fifth Circuit has held Louisiana accountable to a core constitutional promise: Public schools are not Sunday schools, and they must welcome all students, regardless of faith.' Supporters backing the introduction of prayer and scripture back into the classroom believe such measures reinforce moral values, reflect the country's religious heritage and give families more freedom to express their faith in public education. 'The Bible is a necessary historical document to teach our kids about the history of this country, to have a complete understanding of Western civilization, to have an understanding of the basis of our legal system — and is frankly, we're talking about the Bible, one of the most foundational documents used for the Constitution and the birth of our country," Oklahoma Superintendent of Public Instruction Ryan Walters said when he introduced the policy to the state's schools last year, per The Washington Post.
Yahoo
07-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Papal conclave has started. Here's how it works
The process to vote in a new pope is underway. Pope Francis died April 21 of this year, leaving the position of pope, the sovereign of Vatican City and leader of the Catholic Church, vacant. As such, a papal conclave was scheduled to begin May 7, 2025, for 133 elector cardinals from around the world to convene inside the Apostolic Palace and vote for who among them should be the new pope. The process usually lasts multiple days and is very secretive. Cardinals are not supposed to give any information as to who they believe the new pope should be, and they vote inside the Sistine Chapel, secluded from the outside world. According to the latest Religious Landscape Study from Pew Research Center, 63% of adults in Rhode Island identify as Christians as of 2024 — the most popular religion in the state. Of the 63% of Rhode Island adults in the study who identify as Christians, 39% of them are Catholic. That's higher than the nationwide total of 19% of adults. Here's what you need to know about the papal conclave and how you can keep up with live updates of this historic conclave. Cardinals attend a mass for the Election of the Roman Pontiff, prior to the start of the conclave, at St Peter's Basilica in The Vatican, on May 7, 2025. What time does the conclave start The papal conclave has already begun, according to USA Today reporting. A first round of voting is set to take place today. Up to four rounds of voting can take place each subsequent day. There is no set time limit for the conclave, but recent conclaves have lasted only a few days. Since 1846, cardinals have taken two to five days to make decisions on the past 12 popes. When will the cardinals elect a new pope Multiple rounds of voting are almost always needed before a candidate emerges with the two-thirds majority required to become pope. The cardinals likely will need to reconvene Thursday morning, when a Mass would be celebrated in the Pauline Chapel before they return to the Sistine Chapel for midmorning prayer and that day's rounds of voting. Up to four rounds of voting are permitted each day. At the conclusion of Thursday's voting, there will an evening prayer before they return to Santa Marta. If the votes failed to result in someone receiving a two-thirds majority, they will return for more voting Friday − and as many days as is required to elect a pontiff. After a cardinal receives the required number of votes and agrees to take on the monumental task, white smoke will signal his selection. How does conclave voting work? Here are the specifics of the voting process, according to the Vatican: Each cardinal writes the name of their chosen candidate on a ballot, folds it, holds it aloft and carries it to the altar in order of rank. The cardinal places the ballot on a plate covering a chalice and says, in Italian: 'I call as my witness Christ the Lord, who will be my judge, that my vote is given to the one whom I believe should be elected according to God." The cardinal then uses the plate to drop the vote into the chalice, bows to the altar and returns to his seat. Cardinals who are unable to walk give their folded ballot to a "scrutineer," who follows the same procedure without reciting the oath again. Any cardinals who are too ill to be in the chapel are given ballots and a sealed box with a slit where the folded ballots can be inserted. Once the votes are cast, the "infirmarii" bring the box back to the chapel, where it is opened in front of the electors. The votes are counted and added to those already in the main chalice. How does a real conclave compare to the popular movie 'The Conclave' Former archbishop of Boston, Cardinal Sean Patrick O'Malley, said that the movie is not a good representation of what really happens. O'Malley participated in the 2013 conclave that elected Pope Francis. 'My experience of being in at least one conclave was not that it was some sort of scene of political backroom plotting of how to get your candidate elected,' O'Malley wrote in his blog. He said that each cardinal votes for the person that they believe is God's will for the Church. 'It was an experience of a very intense retreat where there was much prayer and silence and listening to conferences on spiritual themes.' Is there a way to watch the papal conclave Yes, you can watch to see the Vatican chimney and possibly white smoke in the next few days via the USA Today livestream. The voting part of the conclave, where cardinals cast their ballots, is not allowed to be recorded, as it is a secret process. The church has started using jamming devices to prevent such indiscretions. You can also check for live updates here. Has there ever been an American pope There has never been a pope from the United States. More than 200 of the 266 popes were natives of Italy, although it's been 47 years since an Italian served as pontiff. Francis was the first from Latin America. Numerous cardinals from Italy and other nations are considered contenders. Melina Khan contributed to this report. This article originally appeared on The Providence Journal: Papal conclave 2025 is underway. Here's how the process works
Axios
04-04-2025
- General
- Axios
Religious affiliation is shifting in Arizona
As Lent continues and Easter approaches, fewer Arizonans are observing the Christian traditions compared to decades ago, according to new data from the Pew Research Center. The big picture: "This is a broad-based social change," Alan Cooperman, the director of religion research at the nonpartisan think tank, told Axios. "We've had rising shares of people who don't identify with any religion — so-called nones — and declining shares who identify as Christian, in all parts of the country, in all parts of the population, by ethnicity and race, among both men and women, and among people at all levels of the educational spectrum." By the numbers: 58% of Arizona adults identify as Christian, according to Pew's Religious Landscape Study that surveyed more than 35,000 Americans about religious and social beliefs from 2023 to 2024. That's down from 67% in 2014 and 71% in 2007. Meanwhile, the state's religiously unaffiliated population increased from 22% (2007) to 31% (2023-2024) and those practicing a non-Christian religion rose from 4% to 10%. The intrigue: While many people are moving away from organized religion, some are embracing spirituality.
Axios
26-03-2025
- General
- Axios
Religious affiliation is shifting in Indiana
As Lent continues and Easter approaches, fewer Hoosiers are observing the Christian traditions compared to decades ago, according to new data from the Pew Research Center. The big picture:"This is a broad-based social change," Alan Cooperman, the director of religion research at the nonpartisan think tank, told Axios. "We've had rising shares of people who don't identify with any religion — so-called nones — and declining shares who identify as Christian, in all parts of the country, in all parts of the population, by ethnicity and race, among both men and women, and among people at all levels of the educational spectrum." By the numbers: 65% of Hoosiers identify as Christian, according to Pew's Religious Landscape Study that surveyed more than 35,000 Americans about religious and social beliefs. That's a steady drop from 2014 (72%) and 2007 (82%). The state's religiously unaffiliated — atheists, agnostics and those identifying as "nothing in particular" — has risen from 16% in 2007 to 31% last year. Roughly one-third of Christians statewide say they identify as Evangelical Protestant (32%), followed by Catholic (14%) and Mainline Protestant (11%). "Nothing in particular" leads the way among Indiana's religiously unaffiliated at 21%, followed by atheist at 5% and agnostic at 4%. State of pray: Researchers note that the trend away from religion is driven in large part by Gen Z and younger millennials. Yes, but: While many people are moving away from organized religion, some are embracing spirituality. About 1 in 3 adults consider themselves "very" spiritual — a number that's increased since Pew last polled on this topic in 2023. What they're saying: The line between religious and spiritual is one that Indy resident Derrick Jackson has been walking for the past few years. A Texas native, Jackson told Axios he was raised in a deeply religious household as part of a fairly strict Black Baptist family. And while he still considers himself a Christian and a spiritual person, he no longer attends any religious services. "I just realized I never had the chance to really think about my relationship with religion. I was told what to believe in, and there was no room to even consider believing in something else because it was part of everything we did," he said. "A lot of those values just don't feel like me anymore." Between the lines: A significant portion of U.S. adults (35%) have switched religions since childhood, according to the study. What we're hearing: "It's not surprising," Penny Edgell, professor in the sociology department at the University of Minnesota, tells Axios. "I think if you're more progressive, you might look at religion and say that the mainstream religious institutions don't reflect my values," particularly when it comes to topics like LGBTQ+ inclusion, she says. Case in point: Fewer self-described liberals say they're Christian (37% — down from 62% in 2007) than are religiously unaffiliated (51%), according to the Pew data.
Axios
21-03-2025
- General
- Axios
Houston is getting less religious, Pew finds
Houston, and Texas overall, is becoming less Christian. Why it matters: A growing number of people in the state — and nationwide — don't identify with any religion. The shift is largely driven by Gen Z and younger Millennials, according to the Pew Research Center. The big picture: Fewer than half of 18- to 29-year-olds nationwide identify as Christian (45%), and nearly the same portion have no religious affiliation (44%), according to Pew's Religious Landscape Study, which surveyed more than 35,000 Americans. Meanwhile, 78% of those 65 and older identify as Christian. State of prayer: More Houston residents identify as non-Christian or religiously unaffiliated now than in 2014. 67% of Houston residents identify as Christian, down from 73% in 2014. 7% identify as another religion — the same from a decade ago. 3% are Muslim, when a decade ago, only 1% were. 25% are religiously unaffiliated, up from 20% in 2014.
