The New Congress: Fewer Christians But Still Religious

The membership of the incoming U.S. Congress is somewhat less religious and more diverse than that of the preceding Congress, though the changes are almost entirely on the Democratic side.

A poll of the religious composition of the new Congress by the Pew Research Center and CQ Roll Call finds that more than 99 percent of the Republican members identify as Christian, as opposed to 78 percent of the Democrats. In both parties, Christians are overrepresented, according to Pew, given that just 71 percent of all U.S. adults describe themselves as Christians.

The poll results, based on the members' own reporting of their faith identities, reflect broader demographic and cultural changes in the United States but also the abiding importance of religion in American politics.

One notable finding is that members of Congress are more likely to claim a religious affiliation than is the public at large. Numerous surveys have shown a sharp increase in the number of Americans who say they do not identify with any particular religious tradition, but that trend is less apparent among those elected to Congress. The Pew poll found just one member, Democratic Sen. Kyrsten Sinema of Arizona, reporting no affiliation at all, whereas 23 percent of all U.S. adults so identify.