It may not be obvious from the laws the US Congress passes and the debates that it hosts, but Capitol Hill could be mistaken as one of the most religious places on earth.
According to Pew Research’s annual faith survey of the new-look Congress, Christianity is dominant.
Nearly every Republican (265 out of 270) identifies as a believer.
And in a trend that’s continued for 16 years, there’s actually a greater percentage of Christians among Democrat lawmakers than in the American population at large.
An astonishing 75% of Democrats subscribe to the Christian faith — a whopping 13 points more than the US average.
The Washington Stand reports that: “All told, Christians make up “the lion’s share” of Congress at 87%.”
The 73 newcomers are less likely than incumbents to be believers (78% compared to 88%).
Of the 71 members of Congress who aren’t Christians (66 of whom are Democrats), Pew notes, 32 are Jewish, four are Muslim, four are Hindu, three are Unitarian Universalists, three are Buddhist, one self-identifies as a humanist, 20 did not specify a religion, and three are religiously unaffiliated.
The findings have prompted political observers to ask: How can Democrats, who spared just one mention of God in their party platform, be so religious on paper, but fail to translate those principles to their radical agendas?
The Family Research Council (FRC) has been unpacking the reality of this apparent Christian allegiance.
Senior Fellow for Biblical Worldview and Strategic Engagement Joseph Backholm speculated it’s just political expedience at work.
He told the Washington Stand: “The fact that most Democrats identify as Christians shouldn’t be surprising.”
“Claiming to be an atheist or agnostic has long been a political liability, so politicians are generally advised to claim some kind of religious affiliation.”
“I do wonder with those polls, if people sometimes say what they think they’re supposed to say. It’s almost like virtue signalling in a way.”
“There is less social stigma associated with being irreligious these days and therefore more people in Congress will feel comfortable admitting that God is not a significant part of their lives.”
“But the greater concern is those who honour God with their lips, but their heart is far from Him.”
FRC’s Director of the Center for Biblical Worldview David Closson noted: “Democrats have taken positions on creation order issues like marriage and abortion that are antithetical to what the Bible teaches.”
“Nevertheless, it is still remarkable that most Democrats identify as Christian, despite a voting record more in line with secular humanism than Christianity,” he told the Washington Stand.
“There is a massive and widening divide among those on the Left between what they profess and what they actually believe.”
“For many, it is also undoubtedly true that ‘Christian’ now refers to more of a cultural or social identity, rather than any meaningful moral or theological commitments or convictions.”
“I expect that future Congresses will see an uptick in members who do not claim a religion, and my prediction is that as the percentage of unbelievers in Congress grows, the more difficult it will be to pass legislation that reflects Biblical values,” Mr. Closson warned.
