Fewer Americans than ever believe in God, a new Gallup poll reported Friday morning.
The new figure of 81% of Americans who say they believe in God is down 6 percentage points from 2017 and 11 points from a 2011 poll.
But fewer than half of those who say they believe in God — 42% according to Gallup — say that God hears and responds to prayers.
Some 28% of all Americans say God hears a person’s prayers but “cannot intervene,” and 11% say God neither hears nor answers prayers.
The 2022 survey, conducted between May 2 and May 22, revealed that 17% of Americans said they don’t believe in God, with 1% saying they had “no opinion” on the question.
The decline among those who say they believe in God comes on the heels of a 2021 Gallup survey showing 47% of Americans were members of a church, the first time that number has fallen below 50%, the pollsters said.
Gallup said the demographic segments with the largest decline in faith “are also the groups that are currently least likely to believe in God” at all: The groups with the largest declines are also the groups that are currently least likely to believe in God: liberals (62%), young adults (68%) and Democrats (72%).
The polling firm said belief in God is highest among political conservatives (94%) and Republicans (92%). Gallup asserted this finding shows “religiosity is a major determinant of political divisions” in America.
Gallup said the poll surveyed a random selection of 1,007 adults 18 and older in all 50 states and the District of Columbia. The survey had an error margin of 4 percentage points.
• Mark A. Kellner can be reached at mkellner@washingtontimes.com.
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