Denver, Colo., Apr 27, 2019 / 03:00 am
Participants in a study spanning 27 countries say that religion plays a less important role in public life than it once did, though in many parts of the world, participants said that religion's importance is on the rise, or that they would like to see an increased role for religion in society.
In the study, conducted by the Pew Research Center, 37% of respondents say religion plays a "less important role" in their countries than it did 20 years ago, while 27% say it plays a more important role.
Nearly 40% of respondents said they favor an increased role for religion in society.
In addition, Pew studies suggest that although fewer people in the US and Canada believe that religion plays an "important role," a majority of respondents in several Asian and African countries say religion's role in their lives has become more important in recent years.