On 9 June 2025 the Pew Research Center released a comprehensive study of religious self-identification worldwide, drawn from more than 2 700 censuses and surveys, and compared against its equivalent study for 2010.

Numbers, trends and analysis

The findings will invite scientific, theological, political and ideological debate, much of it emotional.

The headline finding — that Islam is the fastest-growing religion — will be read very differently by different groups. But arguably the most significant finding is the growth of the religiously unaffiliated, the “nones”, into the third largest group internationally.

The report also covers regional, national and social factors, including religious switching and culturally religious identification — the categories that most often get flattened out of the headline.

A climate of hate

The data is scientifically significant. It is also likely to fuel prejudice, hate and false stereotypes, and to be used by political and religious groups to serve ideological agendas.

Within hours of publication, comment sections were already showing Islamophobic hate, scientific scepticism, racism, and hostility to religion in general. Those patterns were, interestingly, broadly reflective of the report’s own data on religious attitudes in the countries the commenters were writing from.

Why we are circulating it anyway

Scientific study exists to understand and improve the human condition. Its findings are too often used to do the opposite, and to divide.

Below is a compilation of early coverage, from the first 48 hours. It is shared to encourage constructive use and analysis of the data — and to help people recognise and challenge its abuse.

The report

• How the Global Religious Landscape Changed From 2010 to 2020 — the full Pew report.
• Religious composition by country, 2010–2020 — the data, without commentary.
• Video: how much religious switching is there in the US?

How it was covered

• Islam grows, Christianity slips as share of world population — Washington Post.
• Islam is world’s fastest-growing religion — Middle East Eye.
• The changing face of faith — Vatican News.
• Jews worldwide number nearly 15 million, 0.2% of global population — Haaretz.
• Global study slashes estimate on number of US Jews — Times of Israel · Forward · SA Jewish Report. A useful illustration of how contested a single count can be, even among those it concerns.
• Times of India — the comments section. Included deliberately, as an example of what the data is already being used for.
• Christianity’s decline in the US appears to have halted — Salt Lake Tribune, February 2025, reporting Pew’s separate US Religious Landscape Study.

Contact SAMNET on info@samnet.co.za or WhatsApp 084 333 3979.

Related

Addressing Society’s Crisis of Distrust and Mistrust · Social Media Is Powerful — When Used Effectively · Islamophobic Hate Crimes Increasing Across the World

Shared by the South African Muslim Network (SAMNET) in the interest of quality scientific research, responsible reporting and commentary, fighting hate, prejudice and online trolling, countering misinformation, and freedom of religion.