20 Percent Have No Religious Affiliation

What Christian nation? Nearly 20 percent of Americans do not have a religious affiliation, according to a study released Tuesday by the Pew Research Center. That’s an increase of 8 percent since 1990, with one third of Americans under 30 reporting no strong ties to an established religion. While members of “nones” are not limited to any education or income brackets, 68 percent lean toward the Democratic Party—making it the largest faith constituency in that party—while white evangelicals make up 34 percent of the Republican base. The poll also found the number of Americans that identify themselves as Protestants has dipped below half the population, to 48 percent.