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Religion in Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania had rich and diverse religious cultures, and the freedom to practice beliefs has helped give rise to a highly unique religious pluralism and freedom. Pennsylvania is the US state with the 5th largest population, Christianity being the majority religion and Protestantism as its largest branch.
Since the 1990s, the religious share of Christians has decreased, while Hinduism, Buddhism, Islam, Sikhism, and other religions have spread, mainly from immigration. In recent years, surveys show that religious Unaffiliated (people who describe themselves as atheist, agnostic, or simply “nothing in particular”) have been growing as a share of the U.S. adult population.
also read about Race and Ethnicity in Pennsylvania
Table of Content
Pennsylvania Religion Percentage
Christianity is the largest religion followed by 73% of the population. The largest Christian denomination in Pennsylvania is Protestants (47%) followed by Roman Catholics (24%), Jehovah’s Witnesses (1%), and Other Christian (1%).
22% of the population don’t follow or adhere to any faith or religion. Other non-Christian-based religions and faiths are followed by 6% of the population.
Other Religions include Hinduism (1%), Buddhism(1%), Jews (1%), Islam (1%), and other smaller faiths (2%).
| Religion/Affiliations | Percentage |
| Christianity | 73% |
| – Protestantism | – 47% |
| – Roman Catholicism | – 24% |
| – Mormonism | -<1% |
| – Eastern Orthodoxy | – <1% |
| – Jehovah’s Witnesses | – 1% |
| – Other Christian | – 1% |
| Other Religion | 6% |
| Judaism | -1% |
| Islam | -1% |
| Buddhism | -<1% |
| Hinduism | -1% |
| Other religion | -2% |
| No religion | 21% |
| Don’t know | 1% |
Source: Pew Research Center
read about Religion in United States
Christianity in Pennsylvania
Christianity with 73% followers is the largest in Pennsylvania. All Protestant denominations accounted for 47% of the population, Catholics are 24% of the population and are the largest individual denomination if Protestantism is divided into various denominations instead of being counted as a single category.
Of the Protestants in the state, Mainline Protestants compose 23% of the population, Evangelical Protestants 19%, and Historically Black Protestants 5%.
Rest include Mormons, Eastern Orthodoxy, Jehovah’s Witnesses, and other smaller denominations.
| Christianity Affiliations | Percentage |
| Protestantism | 47% |
| – Mainline Protestant | – 23% |
| – Evangelical Protestant | – 19% |
| – Black church | – 5% |
| Roman Catholicism | 24% |
| Mormonism | <1% |
| Eastern Orthodoxy | <1% |
| Jehovah’s Witnesses | 1% |
| Other Christians | 1% |
read about Christianity in United States
Protestantism in Pennsylvania
Among Christians in Pennsylvania, Protestantism is the largest group comprising about 47% of the state’s population. Protestantism in the United States has branched out into several branches, denominations, and various interdenominational and related movements.
Protestants by tradition can be further classified into three main denominations. Mainline Protestants are the largest and followed by 23% of the population, Next is Evangelical (19%) and Historically Black Church is at (5%)
| Protestants Affiliation | % of population |
| Mainline Protestant | 23% |
| Evangelical Protestant | 19% |
| Historically Black Protestant | 5% |
Protestantism is also comprised of numerous denominational families (e.g., Baptist, Methodist, and Pentecostal) that fit into one or more of the traditions. According to data from the Association of Religion Data Archives (ARDA, the largest Protestant religious body in Pennsylvania in 2020 is as follows
| Religious Bodies | Tradition | Family | Adherents |
| Non-denominational Christian Churches | Evangelical | Other Groups | 661,832 |
| United Methodist Church | Mainline | Methodist | 448,894 |
| Evangelical Lutheran Church in America | Mainline | Lutheran | 357,938 |
| Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) | Mainline | Presbyterian/Reformed | 143,051 |
| American Baptist Churches in the U.S.A. | Mainline | Baptist | 126,222 |
| United Church of Christ | Mainline | Congregationalists (United Church of Christ) | 123,598 |
| Assemblies of God, General Council of the | Evangelical | Pentecostal | 110,026 |
| Amish Groups, undifferentiated | Evangelical | Mennonite/Amish | 72,609 |
| Episcopal Church | Mainline | Anglican/Episcopal | 67,048 |
| National Baptist Convention, USA, Inc. | Black | Baptist | 64,844 |
read about Protestants in the United States
Catholics in Pennsylvania
Catholic Church at 24 % of the state population is the second largest religious grouping, after Protestantism. According to the Association of Religion Data Archives (ARDA) at Pennsylvania State University, the largest religious body in Pennsylvania by adherents IN 2020 was the Roman Catholic Church with 2,845,841 adherents.
Since the 1990s, the religious share of Christians has decreased, while Hinduism, Buddhism, Islam, Sikhism, and other religions have spread, mainly from immigration. Other Religions together make up 6% of the Pennsylvania population and include Hinduism, Buddhism, Jews, Islam, and other smaller faiths.
Other Religion
- Judaism -1%
- Islam -1%
- Buddhism -<1%
- Hinduism -1%
- other smaller faiths -2%
also read about Race and Ethnicity in Pennsylvania
Sources
Note: The US census does not contain questions about one’s religious affiliation. Our Article is based on surveys conducted by various institutions and agencies.
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