Here’s How Important Religion Is To African American Men

A Pew Research study asked more than 35,000 Americans about their religious beliefs and practices.

Written By Nigel Roberts

     Black men are second only to Black women at the top of several measures of religious belief among Americans, a study said.

While men tend to be less religious than women, nearly 70 percent of Black men said they are religious—compared to 65 percent of Hispanic women and 55 percent of White woman—the Pew Research Center reported on Wednesday.

Black women are the most religious demographic in the nation at 80 percent, the analysis of 2014 data from more than 35,000 Americans across the county found.

    Black men are less religious than Black women, but are still highly religious compared with men and women from other racial/ethnic groups. New @FactTank post by @kaymariephd and @jeffdime looks at race, gender and levels of religious observance: https://t.co/eAHrPvzDmgpic.twitter.com/OliInk89F0

— Pew Research Religion (@PewReligion) September 26, 2018

Pew determined levels of religious belief based on answers to four questions: frequency of prayer, belief in God, attendance at religious services and importance of religion in their lives.

When it comes to “absolute certainty” that God exists, Black men were again second only to Black women. About 78 percent of African-American men had no doubt that God exists. When asked the same question, 67 percent of White women and 65 percent of Hispanic women had the same level of certainty.

Roughly 86 percent of Black women believed in God without any doubts.

Historically Black churches remain an integral part of Black communities across the nation. A separate Pew study, published in February, determined that the National Baptist Convention U.S.A. Inc. is currently the largest denomination among historically Black churches.

However, there’s a generational divide. While 63 percent of African Americans born between 1928 and 1945 are associated with a historically Black denomination, just 41 percent of Black Millennials have the same association.

At the same time, the percentage of African-Americans who are religiously unaffiliated (atheist, agnostic or “nothing in particular”) continues to increase. In 2007, they represented 12 percent of the Black population. By 2014, that group increased to 18 percent. In fact, the number of religiously unaffiliated Americans has grown across all races and ethnicities.

About Carma Henry 24476 Articles
Carma Lynn Henry Westside Gazette Newspaper 545 N.W. 7th Terrace, Fort Lauderdale, Florida 33311 Office: (954) 525-1489 Fax: (954) 525-1861

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