There’s a new Pew Research poll that attempts a pretty nifty trick of not just grouping Americans by what religion they claim, but also what actual religious beliefs they actually practice.
This day and age, that’s probably a lot more telling than someone just saying “I’m a Christian” or “I’m a Muslim,” and the results are interesting.
A particular finding that stands out: People of almost all religious stripes hold a few beliefs traditionally written off as “New Age-y.”
First, some background. The study sorted Americans into seven very broad religious types. There are the “Sunday Stalwarts,” the most traditionally religious of the bunch, who make up 17 percent of Americans. There are the “God and Country Believers,” who tend to define their religion more by political and social conservatism and make up 12 percent of the country.
There are the “Diversely Devout,” who call themselves religious but also mix in a dash of spiritual beliefs from other practices, who make up 11 percent of the country. These three types, which make up 39 percent of the country, are considered “highly religious.”