(graphic: Steve Straehley, AllGov)
The U.S. population currently is 73% Christian, but they’re overrepresented in Congress, according to the Pew Research Religion and Public Life Project. A survey found that 92% of the members of the House and Senate belong to a Christian denomination. That’s even a higher percentage than in the last session, but Congress lost five Jews, one Buddhist and one unaffiliated member, according to Cliff Weathers at AlterNet.
The largest bloc now is made up of Protestants (57%), followed by Catholics (31%). Among the Protestants, there are Baptists (15%), Methodists (8.4%), Anglicans/Episcopalians (7.7%), Presbyterians (6.7%) and Lutherans (5%).
The next largest religious group is Jews, whose 28 adherents make up only 5% of Congress. There are also two Buddhists, two Muslims, one Hindu, one Unitarian Universalist and several others who are unaffiliated or declined to respond.
-Noel Brinkerhoff
To Learn More:
It's 2015 and Congress Is Almost Entirely Made Up of White Christian Men (by Cliff Weathers, AlterNet)
Faith on the Hill (Pew Research Religion and Public Life Project)
With the Defeat of Eric Cantor, Congress Loses its only Jewish Republican (by Noel Brinkerhoff, AllGov)
Who’s Underrepresented in Congress? Baptists, Pentecostals and “No Religion” (by Noel Brinkerhoff, AllGov)
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