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The Pew-Templeton Global Religious Futures Project

The Pew-Templeton Global Religious Futures project analyzes religious change and its impact on societies around the world.

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ANALYSIS May 22, 2013
Federal Appeals Case Brings Contraception Coverage Mandate Back Into Spotlight
Some for-profit businesses are joining religiously affiliated nonprofits in challenging the Affordable Care Act’s contraception mandate, claiming it violates their religious liberty rights. A Pew Research Center analysis reviews the situation before a significant case is heard by the 10th Circuit Court of Appeals.
GRAPHIC May 15, 2013
Same-Sex Marriage State-by-State
Massachusetts became the first state to legalize same-sex marriage following a ruling by the state's highest court in 2003. To date, courts, legislatures and voters in 12 states and the District of Columbia have legalized gay marriage, while 30 states have amended their constitutions to ban gay marriage. View a map that shows each state’s current policy on same-sex marriage.
GRAPHIC April 30, 2013
TEDx: Religious Freedom by the Numbers
Brian J. Grim, Senior Researcher at the Pew Research Center, talks about religious freedoms and restrictions at the TEDx Viadella Conciliazione conference.
ANALYSIS April 25, 2013
Rhode Island on Verge of Becoming 10th State to Legalize Same-Sex Marriage
On April 24, Rhode Island took a step toward becoming the 10th U.S. state to legalize same-sex marriage when its Senate approved a measure that would grant gays and lesbians the right to wed. Our analysis also discusses four other states that are considering proposals related to same-sex marriage.
ANALYSIS April 8, 2013
Applying God’s Law: Religious Courts and Mediation in the U.S.
Across the U.S., religious courts operate on a routine, everyday basis. How do some of the country's major Christian traditions and other religions - including Islam, Judaism, Buddhism and Hinduism - decide internal matters and apply their religious laws?
GRAPHIC April 8, 2013
State Legislation Restricting Use of Foreign or Religious Law
On Monday, the Oklahoma Senate passed a bill intended to prevent the use of foreign law in state courts. The bill contains language from model legislation designed to limit the use of sharia, or Islamic law. A new interactive map details similar bills introduced or enacted in 32 states between 2010 and 2012.
ANALYSIS April 5, 2013
New York, Washington State Consider Bucking Trend on Abortion Laws
North Dakota and Arkansas are among the states that recently have passed legislation restricting access to abortion. Meanwhile, Washington state and New York are getting attention for possible action that could expand access to the procedure.
GRAPHIC March 20, 2013
Graphics Slideshow: Changing Attitudes on Gay Marriage
A series of graphics shows how public opinion toward same-sex marriage has changed in Pew Research Center polls since 2001. See how much opinion varies by generation, religious group, gender, race and political party.
LEGAL REPORT March 20, 2013
High Court to Hear Same-Sex Marriage Cases
The U.S. Supreme Court is about to hear oral arguments in a pair of potentially groundbreaking same-sex marriage cases.
POLL March 6, 2013
U.S. Catholics See Sex Abuse as the Church’s Most Important Problem, Charity as Its Most Important Contribution
U.S. Catholics see the scandal over sex abuse by clergy as the most important problem facing the church today and charitable efforts to aid the poor, feed the hungry and heal the sick as the church's most important contribution.
ANALYSIS February 22, 2013
Obama Administration Weighs In on Gay Marriage Case
The Obama administration has submitted a “friend-of-the-court” brief on the legal challenge to California’s gay marriage ban, which will be argued before the U.S. Supreme Court on March 26.
ANALYSIS February 14, 2013
Illinois Senate Approves Same-Sex Marriage Bill
On Feb. 14, the Illinois Senate passed a measure that would legalize same-sex marriage in the state. Nine states and the District of Columbia already allow gays and lesbians to marry. And the U.S. public's support for same-sex marriage has been on the rise.
ANALYSIS February 8, 2013
Gay Marriage Around the World
Updated May 20, 2013. A fact sheet provides an overview of the situation in the nations where same-sex marriage is legal nationwide as well as countries that allow it in certain jurisdictions.
INTERVIEW February 1, 2013
The Contraception Mandate and Religious Liberty
On Feb. 1, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services released new rules for how the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act's contraception mandate applies to religious nonprofits, including houses of worship, schools and hospitals. Church-state law scholars Ira C. Lupu and Robert Tuttle explain the new rules and the legal arguments that religious groups might make.
GRAPHIC January 24, 2013
How Important is the Abortion Issue?
The public is split on whether abortion is a critical or important issue or whether it is not that important an issue. But this masks stark differences in opinion between regular churchgoers and those who attend religious services less often.
GRAPHIC January 22, 2013
Public Opinion on Abortion and Roe v. Wade
Public Opinion on Abortion and Roe v. Wade 2013-01-18 Jan. 22, 2013, is the 40th anniversary of the Supreme Court’s Roe v. Wade decision legalizing abortion. A quarter of the U.S. public (25%) sees abortion as morally wrong and would like to have the decision completely overturned, according to a
ANALYSIS January 16, 2013
A History of Key Abortion Rulings of the U.S. Supreme Court
During the past 35 years, federal courts, particularly the U.S. Supreme Court, have superseded states as the driving force in crafting abortion policy.
ANALYSIS January 16, 2013
Religious Groups' Official Positions on Abortion
A breakdown of 17 major religious groups' views on the issue of abortion.  
GRAPHIC January 16, 2013
Public Opinion on Abortion Slideshow
A series of graphics explores public opinion on abortion, illustrating how opinion differs among various demographic groups, including religious, political, age and gender groups.
POLL January 16, 2013
Roe v. Wade at 40: Most Oppose Overturning Abortion Decision
As the 40th anniversary of the Supreme Court’s Roe v. Wade decision approaches, the public remains opposed to completely overturning the historic ruling on abortion. More than six-in-ten (63%) say they would not like to see the court completely overturn the Roe v. Wade decision.
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