Churchgoers hear about political, social issues in U.S. from pulpit, Pew survey says

White evangelical Protestants and U.S. Catholics were the most likely to report that clergy recently spoke about abortion.

A Pew Research Center report found that most Americans who regularly attend religious services hear about political or social issues from their clergy.

The May 27 report, “What Political Issues Do Americans Hear About in Church?” found two-thirds of U.S. adults who regularly attend religious services have heard their clergy speak about at least one political or social issue in the past few months.

The analysis includes findings from a survey of 3,592 U.S. adults who are part of Pewʼs American Trends Panel, with information from 1,391 respondents attending religious services at least monthly. The survey was conducted April 6–12, and the overall margin of error is plus or minus 3.5 percentage points. Of the 1,391 respondents who regularly attend services, 300 respondents were Catholic, with a margin or error of plus or minus 7.7 percentage points.

The data was based on Catholic, white evangelical Protestant, white non-evangelical Protestant, and Black Protestant U.S. adults who reported attending religious services at least once or twice a month.

The survey was open to all religions, but there were not enough respondents from other religious groups such as Jews, Muslims, Buddhists, or Hindus who regularly attend religious services to analyze their responses separately, according to Pew.

Among U.S. adults, 66% who regularly attend religious services said they have heard about political or social issues from their clergy. Of the topics Pew asked about, abortion was the most commonly cited issue with 35% reporting they have head about it in the past few months.

The other most common topics included Israel (34%), homosexuality (31%), and immigration (27%), the survey found.

Adults also reported they heard clergy speak about U.S. military action in Iran (25%), the environment (24%), and transgender people (23%).

Pew found that Americans heard more about the need to welcome and support immigrants (15%) than the need for stricter immigration enforcement (3%).

Respondents noted they have heard more about protecting the environment (15%) than opposing environmental regulations (3%) and more about “opposing transgender identity” (15%) than “accepting people who are transgender” (3%).

Half of Catholic Mass attendees said clergy recently spoke about abortion

Among U.S. adults who attend religious services at least monthly, Catholics were the most likely to report that their clergy recently spoke about abortion (49%).

Similarly, 43% of white evangelical Protestants said they heard about abortion. By comparison, 18% of white non-evangelical Protestants and 20% of Black Protestants reported the same.

Along with abortion, Catholics also reported they have recently heard about immigration (41%), U.S. military action in Iran (30%), and the environment (28%) from clergy. Fewer respondents had heard about Israel (25%), homosexuality (16%), and transgender people (15%).

Catholics who regularly attend Mass were more likely to have said clergy have spoken in support of immigrants and protecting the environment than to have reported hearing the alternative.

In comparison, white evangelicals were just as likely to report their clergy called for stricter immigration enforcement (4%) as to have heard their clergy talk about needing to welcome and support immigrants (4%).

The survey also asked regular attendees whether the clergy or religious leaders at their place of worship are mostly Republicans, mostly Democrats, or a mix of both.

Catholics were the most likely to report they are unsure of clergyʼs political affiliation, with 59% reporting so. Another 29% of Catholics reported they believe the clergy is a mix of both.