A file photo shows a U.S. flag outside Mary Immaculate Catholic Church in Dallas. Two-thirds of U.S. adults who regularly attend religious services have heard their clergy speak about at least one political or social issue recently, according to a new Pew Research Center survey. (OSV News/Reuters/Carlo Allegri)
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Most U.S. adults who regularly attend religious services have heard their clergy speak about at least one political or social issue recently, according to a new Pew Research Center survey.
Two-thirds of those who said they attend some form of religious service at least once or twice a month said their minister, priest, rabbi or other clergyperson has spoken on at least one such issue in the past few months, Pew found.
Respondents identified abortion, Israel, homosexuality, immigration, the U.S. military action in Iran, the environment, and people who are transgender as the most prevalent topics they heard about.
In general, Pew found those messages on the three most common topics were more likely to be against abortion, against homosexuality or in support of Israel.
Americans who regularly attend religious services also reported hearing more about the need to welcome and support immigrants rather than the need for stricter immigration enforcement, protecting the environment rather than opposing environmental regulations or opposing a transgender identity more than accepting people who are transgender.
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But the survey also found more mixed results on the U.S. military action in Iran. A small share — 8% — said they have recently heard their clergy speak in opposition to that conflict, while 4% said their religious leaders have spoken in support of it. Another 9% reported that their religious leaders have spoken about the conflict without supporting or opposing it.
Among respondents overall, 19% said they think their clergy are mostly Republicans, while 8% said they think their clergy are mostly Democrats. But most described their clergy as either politically mixed at 27%, or that they are unsure about their clergy's political leanings at 44%.
Catholics were the religious group most likely to report being unsure about their clergy's political leanings.
Catholics and White evangelical Protestants were the most likely to say that their priest or pastor has spoken recently about abortion.
But White evangelicals were most likely to say they hear their clergy talk about homosexuality, while Catholics were most likely to say they have heard about immigration.
Black Protestants and Catholics were most likely to say they have heard about the U.S. military action in Iran.
