September, 2011
Happy Constitution Day: What Do Americans Think About Separation of Church and State?
[09.16.2011]Although it’s technically tomorrow (September 17), today people around the United States will observe Constitution Day, a federal holiday created in 2004 to commemorate the adoption of the U.S. Constitution and those who have, by birth or naturalization, become United States citizens. The day provides a good opportunity to reflect on how Americans think about what it means to be a U.S. citizen, and how Constitutional values inform our political… more
Census Shows Record-High Poverty Numbers, But Can Americans Agree on a Solution?
[09.16.2011]A record number of Americans are living below the poverty line, according to a Census Bureau report released on Tuesday, bringing the percentage of impoverished to 15.1%, the highest since 1993. Analysis by Pew and the National Women’s Law Center also show that African Americans, Hispanics, and single mothers are all disproportionately affected. Moreover, research from Public Religion Research Institute shows that finding the political will to implement policy to… more
The Morning Buzz | September 16, 2011
[09.16.2011]Welcome to the Morning Buzz, PRRI’s morning dose of religion-related news with a shot of data – because what doesn’t liven up a morning round-up like some public opinion numbers? Pull up a chair, pour yourself a cup of coffee (you can even make it a celebratory mocha, since it’s Friday!) and let’s get started. New research claims that Americans are drifting away from traditional religious affiliations toward self-created faiths. … more
The NY-09 Election: Disaster for Democrats, or Fuss Over Nothing?
[09.15.2011]Last Tuesday, Republican Bob Turner’s upset victory over his Democratic opponent David Weprin set the media aflutter over the possibility that Jewish voters, disgruntled with the Democrats’ position on Israel, might be abandoning their traditionally stalwart support of Democratic candidates. Our verdict: unlikely. Over the past few months, campaign rhetoric positioned the standoff as a referendum on Obama’s handling of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Perhaps more importantly, at least according to… more
Rick Perry Speaks at Liberty University
[09.15.2011]Yesterday morning, Texas Governor and current GOP presidential front-runner Rick Perry spoke about his spiritual history in an address to the students of Liberty University, a Christian college in Lynchburg, Virginia which was founded 40 years ago by Jerry Falwell. He took care to emphasize the depth of his Christian faith and was downright self-deprecating about his intellectual background, joking that he graduated “in the top 10 of [his] graduating… more
Figuring Faith | Like Rick Perry, Most “Pro-life” Americans OK With Death Penalty
[09.15.2011]In the wake of the two latest Republican primary debates, Rick Perry’s unwavering support for the death penalty in Texas is sparking allegations that this policy doesn’t jive with his “pro-life” ethic. Our CEO, Dr. Robert P. Jones, takes on the question in this week’s “Figuring Faith” for the Washington Post On Faith. He explains that many Americans – and most Republicans – also believe that pro-life and pro-death penalty… more
The Morning Buzz | September 15, 2011
[09.15.2011]Welcome to the Morning Buzz, PRRI’s early-morning dose of religion-related news with a shot of data – because what doesn’t liven up a morning round-up like some public opinion numbers? Pull up a chair, pour yourself a cup of coffee (I went to bed early last night, so I think I’ll be making some tea) and let’s get started. According to the census, poverty numbers are at a 20-year high,… more
The Morning Buzz | September 14, 2011
[09.14.2011]Welcome to the Morning Buzz, PRRI’s early-morning dose of religion-related news with a splash of data – because what doesn’t liven up a morning round-up like some public opinion numbers? Pull up a chair, pour yourself a cup of coffee (since it’s Wednesday, I might be adding a shot of espresso) and let’s get started. As the September 21 execution of Troy Davis draws near, religious leaders are rallying for… more
What’s Different About PRRI’s New Website?
[09.13.2011]Welcome to Public Religion Research Institute’s snazzy new website! We’re excited to bring you our research and commentary in an even more user-friendly space, with lots of new tools and features. If you want up-to-the-minute coverage of religion and/or PRRI-related news, make sure you’re following @PRRIAmelia and @PRRIShannon on Twitter as well as our main Twitter account, @publicreligion. Perhaps most excitingly (at least if you’re reading this) our blog is… more
Figuring Faith | The Double Standard on Religious Violence
[09.10.2011]If you followed media coverage of the horrible shooting in Norway this summer, you probably ran across the controversy over whether violence committed in the name of religion was interpreted differently if the perpetrator self-identified as a Muslim or a Christian. That’s a mouthful, but read on: we have data to prove that there is indeed a double standard on religious violence, which our CEO Dr. Robert P. Jones explains… more