Study: 91 Percent Of Congress Identify As 'Christian'
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- While the United States is made up of people from many different religious faiths, a new study shows that there is not a great level of diversity shown in Congress when it comes to religion.
According to the Pew Research Center, 91 percent of the people in the 115th Congress identify as "Christian." Pew says that number is down a percentage point from the last Congress, but it matches levels seen in the early 1960's.
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The study found that certain religious groups, such as Protestants, Catholics and Jews, have greater representation in Congress than they do in the general population of the country. It stated that groups like Buddhists, Muslims, Mormons and Orthodox Christians made up about an equal share in Congress as they do in the population.
It wasn't exactly a religious group that the research showed to be underrepresented in Congress. It was those who do not affiliate with a religion that do not appear in the same proportions in Washington. According to the research, 23 percent of the country is classified as religious "nones," but that group only makes up .2 percent of Congress.
According to the study. 291 of the 293 Republicans in Congress identify as Christians while the other two are Jewish. 80 percent of the 242 Democrats in Congress are Christians to go along with 28 Jews, three Buddhists, three Hindus, two Muslims and one Unitarian Universalist.
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Pew said that the only member of Congress to not affiliate with a religion is Representative Kyrsten Sinema (D) from Arizona. 10 members of Congress declined to state their religion and they were all Democrats.
