The 105th Congress may still be dominated by wealthy white men, but in the area of religious preference, our nation’s lawmakers “look like America,” according to a new study of congressional religious affiliations.
According a study conducted by Albert Menendez, associate director of the Maryland-based Americans for Religious Liberty, Roman Catholics comprise the largest single religious group in Congress, with 151 of the total 535 members. Catholics are also the largest religious group in the U.S., and have had the largest congressional presence since 1964.
Southern Baptists are the nation’s second-largest religious group, and have the second-largest congressional presence with 67 members.
Other groups with significant representation in the 105th Congress are United Methodists (59), Presbyterians (55), Episcopalians (42), Jews (35), “Protestants” (28), Lutherans (22), Mormons (14), United Church of Christ (10) and “Christians” (10).
Menendez also found six Eastern Orthodox Christians, 30 members of Congress from smaller religious groups, and seven who claim no religious affiliation of any kind, but no Buddhists, Hindus or Moslems.
— E.P. News
