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The Influence of Religion: Protestant vs. Catholic Teens

The Influence of Religion: Protestant vs. Catholic Teens

by George H. Gallup Jr.

Contrary to stereotypes about the strictness of Catholicism and the importance of religion in the everyday lives of Catholic schoolchildren, religion tends to play a considerably larger role in the lives of Protestant teens than it does in the lives of their Catholic counterparts.

Similar percentages of Protestant and Catholic teens (99% and 94%, respectively) believe in a God, and in a personal God who answers prayers (79% and 77%). In addition, similar percentages believe that Jesus Christ was either God or the Son of God (96% of Protestant teens and 94% of Catholic teens).

With regard to more practical aspects of faith, however, significant differences appear:

Protestant youth (41%) are far more likely to say religion is "the most influential part of their lives" than are Catholic teens (25%). In addition, 46% of Protestant teens say their religious beliefs are "very important" to them, but far fewer Catholic teens do so (28%). About one-fourth (23%) of Protestant teens "strongly agree" with the statement, "I am a religious person," but only 14% of Catholic teens would so describe themselves.

When it comes to religious practices, Protestant teen-agers appear to be much more active than their Catholic counterparts. A higher percentage of Protestant teens say they are church members -- 75%, compared to 69% of Catholic teens. More Protestant teens than Catholic teens can be found in church during a typical week (56% versus 42%, respectively) and more have attended other events at church during the last seven days -- 29%, compared to 11%. Three times as many Protestant as Catholic teens are involved in daily Bible study.

These findings are based on Gallup Youth Surveys carried out in recent years. A total of 500 teens, aged 13 to17, are interviewed in each national survey. The proportion of teens who give their religious preference as Protestant, based on an average of the last two surveys, is 49%. The proportion of Catholic teens is 30%.


Gallup https://news.gallup.com/poll/5749/Influence-Religion-Protestant-vs-Catholic-Teens.aspx
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