Massive study finds most Americans devout, tolerant

By Michael Paulson - Boston Globe
Tuesday, June 24, 2008 - Web Link
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June 23, 2008

The United States is a nation of believers: Most Americans say they believe in God, they pray, and they attend worship services regularly; they also believe in angels and demons, in heaven and hell, and in miracles.

But they also say, contradicting the teachings of many faiths, that truth comes in many forms. Large majorities of Americans say that many religions - - not just their own -- can lead to eternal life, and that there is more than one way to interpret religious teachings.

In other words, Americans are devout, but not dogmatic, according to a massive new study of religion in America conducted by the Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life and released today.

"Even though the country is highly religious, in terms of the importance of religion in their lives, the regularity of church attendance, etc., most Americans are, in fact, not dogmatic about their faith,'' said Luis Lugo, director of the Pew Forum. "They're very open. In terms of various paths to heaven, and even in terms of interpreting the teachings of their own faith, the majority tell us that there's not just one right way to do that.''

The study sheds light on regional differences in religious beliefs and practices, and finds that New Englanders are the least likely to say they are religious. Massachusetts lags behind the nation -- often near the bottom of all states -- in the percentage of its residents who say they are certain that God exists, that they believe the word of God is literally true, that religion is very important in their lives, or that they attend worship weekly or pray daily.