2017-03-27

A majority of the news members of Congress (92 percent) who were sworn are predominantly Christian according to the Pew Research Center congressional data collected by CQ Roll Call.

However, the members being sworn in are republican than the prior session. Overall there has been little change in religious beliefs. Pew reported that more than nine-in-10 members were elected to the 114 Congress. Other religions represented were Muslims, Hindu’s, Buddhists (two percent), and Jews (five percent). Out of the 92 percent that are Christian, 57 percent are Protestant and 31 percent are Catholic. Breaking it down by party, 202 Republicans were Protestant, while 27 percent were listed as Catholic, and five percent were considered Mormon.

Last November the Republicans regained control of the House of Representatives and the Senate. The new Congress also showed that the Democrats were more diverse, but not as “diverse as the population as a whole.”

It was estimated that 104 Democrats are Protestant, 83 are Catholic, 27 Jewish, and less than two percent were Mormon. Nine representatives choose to not answer the survey, and one representative declared they did not have a religious affiliation. "The new Congress includes a number of people who have had some form of religious occupation, including at least seven members who are ordained ministers. The number of ordained clergy in Congress has not fluctuated greatly in recent years."

Information gathered through questionnaire and phone calls to member’s offices and additional research, according to the website.

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