Summary Interfaith marriage is common in U.S., particularly among the recently wed | Pew Research Center www.pewresearch.org
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Interfaith marriages have become more prevalent, with nearly 40% of those married since 2010 having a spouse of a different religious background.
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Slide Presentation (8 slides)
Key Points
- Interfaith marriage is common in the U.S., particularly among recently married couples
- Nearly 4-in-10 Americans who have married since 2010 have a spouse in a different religious group, compared to only 19% of those who wed before 1960
- Almost 1-in-5 U.S. adults married since 2010 are in marriages between a Christian and a religiously unaffiliated spouse, compared to only 5% of those married before 1960
- Marriages between members of the same religious group may be more durable than interfaith marriages
- Nearly half (49%) of unmarried couples are living with someone of a different faith
- Members of certain religious groups, such as Hindus, Mormons, and Muslims, are more likely to be with someone of the same religion compared to other groups like Jews, mainline Protestants, and the religiously unaffiliated
Summaries
23 word summary
Interfaith marriage is increasingly common, especially among recent newlyweds. Nearly 40% of those married since 2010 have a spouse of a different religion.
49 word summary
Interfaith marriage is increasingly common in the U.S., especially among recent newlyweds. Nearly 40% of those married since 2010 have a spouse of a different religion, compared to 19% before 1960. Interfaith relationships are becoming more normalized, with unmarried cohabiting partners even more likely to be of different faiths.
114 word summary
Interfaith marriage is increasingly common in the U.S., especially among recent newlyweds. Nearly 40% of those married since 2010 have a spouse of a different religion, compared to only 19% before 1960. Many recent interfaith marriages are between Christians and the religiously unaffiliated. While some religious groups, like Hindus and Mormons, are more likely to marry within their faith, interfaith relationships are becoming more normalized. Unmarried cohabiting partners are even more likely to be of different faiths, with nearly half in such relationships. The rise in interfaith marriages may not fully reflect increased durability, as earlier intermarriages could have ended in divorce. Overall, the data suggests growing acceptance of interfaith relationships in American society.
372 word summary
Interfaith marriage is becoming more common in the United States, particularly among recently married couples. According to a Pew Research Center survey, nearly seven-in-ten married people (69%) say their spouse shares their religion. However, a comparison of recent and older marriages shows that having a spouse of the same religion may be less important to many Americans today than it was decades ago.
The study found that almost four-in-ten Americans (39%) who have married since 2010 have a spouse who is in a different religious group. In contrast, only 19% of those who wed before 1960 report being in a religious intermarriage. Many of these recent interfaith marriages are between Christians and the religiously unaffiliated, with almost one-in-five (18%) of all U.S. adults married since 2010 in marriages between a Christian and a religiously unaffiliated spouse, compared to only 5% of those who married before 1960.
Some research suggests that marriages between members of the same religious group may be more durable than intermarriages. If this is true, the rise in religious intermarriage over time may not be as pronounced as it appears, since the study only measures marriages intact today, and it's possible there were more intermarriages before 1960 that have since ended in divorce.
Interfaith relationships are even more common today among unmarried people living with a romantic partner than among those who are married. Nearly half (49%) of unmarried couples are living with someone of a different faith.
The survey also shows that members of certain religious groups are more likely than others to be with someone of their faith, whether they are married or living together in a romantic relationship. For example, more than three-quarters of U.S. Hindus (91%), Mormons (82%), and Muslims (79%) who are married or living with a partner are with someone of the same religion. This is somewhat less common among Jews (65%), mainline Protestants (59%), and the religiously unaffiliated (56%).
In summary, the data suggests that interfaith marriage is becoming more prevalent in the United States, particularly among recently married couples and unmarried cohabiting partners. While some religious groups are more likely to marry within their faith, the overall trend points to a growing acceptance and normalization of interfaith relationships in American society.