Sharia Law

In a recent article in The Economist, a new study by the Pew Research Center reported on the different meaning that sharia law has in different countries. Sharia law is the moral code and religious law of Islam. The survey of 38,000 Muslims conducted in 39 countries examined the opinions that Muslims in predominately Islamic nations expressed on a number of issues related to sharia law, such as religious freedom, the use of religious judges, and the execution of those who leave Islam.

In Morocco 78% of respondents think that non-Muslims are free to practice their faith and 79% of those think this is “a good thing.” Yet 83% of this group wants sharia enshrined in their nation’s law. A majority of Thais (77%) and Pakistanis (84%) yearn for Islamic law too. But most also say that other religions are free to worship (79% and 75% respectively) and they agree that this is “a good thing.” Religious freedom, however, is a slippery term, with implications for individuals and for the collective practice of faith. Muslims in some countries both strongly approve of religious freedom and support the death penalty for apostates from Islam. Three-quarters of Pakistanis who favor sharia agree.  

Views vary over how sharia should be applied. Tunisian backers when asked about specific features of sharia law, support the use of religious judges (62%), but have far less appetite for executing apostates (29%). And those countries where most support sharia are not always its strictest followers, though around three-quarters endorse it in both Indonesia and Egypt. And 74% of Egyptians who favor sharia also think it should apply to non-Muslims, the highest proportion among polled countries. To read the full report, please visit The Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life.

The Changing Face of the Catholic Population Around the World

In light of the recently announced resignation of Pope Benedict XVI, the Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life published an analysis detailing how the distribution of Catholics has drastically changed over time. In 1910, 65% of the Catholic population could be found in Europe, while only 24% of Catholics resided in Latin America and the Caribbean, and less than 1% lived in Sub-Saharan Africa. By 2010, the Catholic population significantly decreased in Europe but increased in the developing world. As of 2010, 39% of Catholics lived in Latin America and the Caribbean, followed by 24% in Europe, and 16% in Sub-Saharan Africa. Interestingly, the distribution of Catholics has remained stable in North Africa and the Middle-East over the past 100 years. In 1910, less than 1% of Catholics resided in the Middle East-North African region, and a century later the percentage of Catholics in the region still remains under 1%.

Upon examining the percentage of Catholics within each region, the Pew Research Center also found that Catholics overwhelmingly dominated Latin America. Nearly 72% of the population in Latin America and the Caribbean is Catholic, followed by 35% in Europe, 26% in North America, 21% in Sub-Saharan Africa, 3% in the Asia-Pacific region, and 2% in the Middle East.

Americans Lacking a Religious Affiliation on the Rise

The Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life reports that although the number of Americans who identify as Atheist or lack a religious affiliation has increased, many of them still believe in God. About 20% of US adults are either Atheist, Agnostic, or lack any religious affiliation. However, of the 46 million adult Americans who are unaffiliated, two-thirds report that they believe in God and one-fifth report that they pray on a daily basis.

Among those 65 and older, 90% are religiously affiliated. Among those 18-29, only 67% have a religious affiliation. Interestingly, the decline has not been uniform among all religions. Protestants have taken the largest hit. Between 1972 and 2010, there was an 11% dip in the number of adult Americans who identified as Protestant. However, those identifying as Catholic remained relatively stable during the same time period, with 26% identifying themselves as Catholic in 1972 compared to 25% in 2010. Moreover, the rise in the number of Americans who identify as religiously unaffiliated could have major implications for future elections. Americans who lack a religious affiliation tend to lean Democrat, with nearly 63% of those registered to vote reporting that they are either Democrat or lean towards the party.