Report: Nearly 90% of members of the new U.S. Congress are Christians
Over the past decade, the proportion of Christians in Congress has gradually decreased: in 2013, it was 92%.
In the new 119th U.S. Congress, 461 out of 535 members of both chambers identify as Christians, representing approximately 86% of all lawmakers, reports religionnews.com.
This figure is slightly lower than the previous Congress, where Christians made up 88% (469 members). Over the past decade, the share of Christians in Congress has been steadily declining, dropping from 92% in 2013.
According to the Pew Research Center, the percentage of Christians in Congress significantly exceeds their share of the adult population in the United States, where about 62% currently identify as Christian.
For comparison, in the early 1960s, over 90% of Americans identified as Christian. At the same time, 28% of Americans today have no religious affiliation, while Congress includes only three unaffiliated members – two Democrats and one Republican.
Among Christians in Congress, Protestants are the majority with 295 members, accounting for 55% of the total. They are followed by Catholics (150 members) and representatives of other Christian denominations. The new Congress includes six Orthodox Christians.
In addition to Christians, other religious groups are also represented in Congress, including 32 Jews, 4 Muslims, 4 Hindus, and 3 Buddhists. Despite the decline in the number of Christians, their proportion in Congress remains significantly higher than in the general population. However, the gradual decrease reflects ongoing demographic changes in the U.S.
As previously reported, U.S. citizens were urged to contact Congress regarding the persecution of the UOC.
