The PRRI Blog
Black Americans and Same-Sex Marriage
Next Tuesday, voters in North Carolina will head to the polls to vote on a ballot initiative that would enshrine marriage as a union between a man and a woman in the state constitution. Interestingly, according to the Washington Post, while polls show that primary voters are likely to approve the measure by a substantial 14-point margin (55% to 41%), opposition numbers among black voters, who tend to be less… more
Some Pray, Others Reason for the United States’ Well-Being
Today, across the country, Americans will observe the 61st Annual National Day of Prayer, which was created in 1952 by a joint resolution of Congress. The first Thursday of May is reserved for this nationwide opportunity to pray for the United States’ wellbeing, and there are tens of thousands of prayer events scheduled across the country to commemorate it. According to the Christian Broadcasting Network, the number of prayer events… more
Study Shows that Mormons Are the Fastest-Growing Religious Group in the U.S.
A new survey shows that mainline Protestants, the religious group that has dominated America’s religious terrain for most of the country’s existence, and Catholics, the largest single denomination in the country, may be beginning to ceding size and influence to new religious groups. The 2012 Religious Congregations and Membership Survey (RCMS), released on May 1, shows that the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (in other words, Mormonism) reported… more
The Morning Buzz | May 2, 2012
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? Modern art is so much fun: here, you can check out van Gogh’s innards. If contemporary literature is more your style, here’s how to write a book guaranteed to win the Man Booker prize (the catch: you’ve got to be… more
New Resource | Religion & Politics
Today, the John C. Danforth Center at Washington University in St. Louis is launching Religion & Politics, a new online journal that focuses on the role religion plays in the civic and political life of the United States. In her introductory note, the editor, Dr. Marie Griffith, sets forth an ambitious but worthy goal. Religion, she observes, “has always been entwined in American politics.” As the country ages, burgeoning religious… more