New Study of Religious Affiliation of Members of 111th Congress

Pew Forum on Friday released a study of the religious affiliation of members of the new 111th Congress. Looking at the House and Senate together, 54.7% are Protestant (most from the mainline denominations), 30.1% are Catholic, 8.4% are Jewish, 2.6% are Mormon and 1.3% are Orthodox. The new Congress also includes 2 Buddhists and 2 Muslims. While 16.1% of American adults say they are unaffiliated, no one in Congress specifically claimed a lack of religious affiliation, though 5 members did not specify a religious affiliation. Included on the Pew Forum's website is a list of each member and his or her religious affiliation, a graphic summarizing the findings, and extensive additional data on affiliations in each house of Congress and of Congressional leaders. Reacting to the survey yesterday, Americans United says that denominational affiliation does not tell much about members' positions on particular issues.