Growing Majority of Americans See Morality as Independent of Religious Belief
Recent findings from the Pew Research Center reveal a significant shift in American attitudes toward the connection between morality and belief in God. The latest data highlights that a growing number of Americans, particularly those without religious affiliations, no longer see a belief in God as essential for having good values.
The research was released earlier in the month and shows a global trend where more individuals are disconnecting moral values from religious beliefs. In the United States, data was gathered from 3,605 adults as part of the American Trends Panel Wave 166 Survey conducted between March 24-30, 2025. This survey marks the 18th time since 2002 that such a question has been asked, with 68% of U.S. adults in 2025 agreeing that belief in God is not necessary for morality.
This percentage is the highest recorded since 2002, reflecting a notable increase from 58% in 2014. “From 2002 through 2011, Americans were split fairly evenly or tilted toward the view that people need to believe in God to be moral and have good values. Starting in 2014, however, Americans have been more likely to say the opposite — that belief in God is not necessary to be moral,” explained Jonathan Evans, a senior researcher at the Pew Research Center, in a statement.
Since 2020, about two-thirds of Americans have maintained this position. The study extended to 24 other countries across Europe, Africa, Asia, and the Americas in 2025. In several European countries, majorities echo the sentiment that morality does not depend on religious belief.
Contrastingly, India and Indonesia experienced an increase in the belief that morality requires a belief in God. “Indians today are 6 points more likely than in 2019 (85% vs. 79%) and 15 points more likely than in 2013 (85% vs. 70%) to say belief in God is necessary to be moral,” Evans noted. Indonesia continues to show a strong correlation between belief in God and morality, with 96% holding this view consistently since 2007.
Countries such as Brazil, India, Indonesia, Kenya, Nigeria, South Africa, and Turkey display a majority linking morality with religious belief, unlike many European nations. “In Hungary, for instance, two-thirds of adults who say religion is very important to them also say that belief in God is necessary to be moral,” Evans highlighted, indicating a significant difference based on personal religious importance.
The changing perceptions are aligned with recent Gallup data showing a rise in Americans identifying as “nones,” or those without formal religious identity. Additionally, fewer than half of U.S. adults now say religion is “very important” in their lives.
Currently, only 47% of American adults consider religion to be “very important,” while 25% view it as “fairly important.” This is a steep decline from the 70% to 75% who held religion in high regard in the 1950s and 1960s. As Megan Brenan from Gallup observed, “Americans’ relationship with religion continues to evolve, marked by fewer adults describing religion as central to their lives.”
This article was originally written by www.christiantoday.com
