Early research reveals drop in global identity from 84 per cent to 77 per cent.
Recent provisional data from the Pew Research Center suggests a global decline in religious identity, with the percentage of people identifying with a religion dropping from 84 per cent in 2010 to 77 per cent.
In a recent appearance on the BBC's More or Less programme, Conrad Hackett, leader of Pew's religion demography team, explained that changes in the way religious identity is measured—especially in countries like China—are partly responsible for the apparent drop.
He shared that in China, Japan, and South Korea, the concept of religion as understood in English is relatively new. In China, the term Zongjiao refers only to state-recognised religions, such as Catholicism, Protestantism, Buddhism, Taoism, and Islam, and does not include widespread folk traditions or ancestor veneration.
"As a result," Hackett explained, "when asked in surveys if they have a religion, only about 10 per cent of people in China identify as Muslim, Christian, Buddhist, or another recognised faith."
He added: “A larger share of people engage in traditional customs and rituals that could be thought of as broadly religious. And previously, we had some surveys that allowed us to include people who did these broadly religious activities. But now, as we're trying to measure change and make sure that our measures are equivalent across countries, we have chosen to focus on this more conservative Zhang jiao measure of religiosity in China. So by that measure, about 90 per cent of people in China are in the no religion category.”
Hackett also highlighted that simply asking whether someone identifies with a religion does not measure their level of practice, beliefs, or how much they value faith in their daily lives. While those who identify with a religion are generally more likely to engage in religious activities, there are exceptions. Some people who do not identify with a religion still attend services or hold religious beliefs, while others who identify with a religion may not actively practice or adhere to its traditional doctrines.
Pew’s upcoming research will examine the trends between 2010 and 2020.