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Religion in the United States is characterized by a diversity of religious beliefs and practices. Various religious faiths have flourished in the United States. A majority of Americans report that religion plays a very important role in their lives, a proportion unique among developed countries.〔(【引用サイトリンク】 work= Pew Global Attitudes Project )〕 The majority of Americans identify themselves as Christians, while close to a quarter claim no religious affiliation. According to a 2014 study by the Pew Research Center, 70.6% of the American population identified themselves as Christians, with 46.5% professing attendance at a variety of churches that could be considered Protestant, and 20.8% professing Roman Catholic beliefs. The same study says that other religions (including Judaism, Buddhism, Islam, and Hinduism) collectively make up about 6% of the population. According to a 2012 survey by the Pew forum, 36 percent of Americans state that they attend services nearly every week or more. According to the 2013 Gallup poll, Mississippi with 61% of its population described as very religious (say that religion is important to them and attend religious services almost every week) is the most religious state in the country, while Vermont with only 22% as very religious is the least religious state. ==Overview== From early colonial days, when some English and German settlers came in search of religious freedom, America has been profoundly influenced by religion.〔Sydney Ahlstrom, ''A Religious History of the American People'' (Yale UP, 2nd ed. 2004) ISBN 0-300-10012-4〕 That influence continues in American culture, social life, and politics.〔Kevin M. Schultz, and Paul Harvey, "Everywhere and Nowhere: Recent Trends in American Religious History and Historiography", ''Journal of the American Academy of Religion'', March 2010, Vol. 78 Issue 1, pp. 129–162〕 Several of the original Thirteen Colonies were established by settlers who wished to practice their own religion within a community of like-minded people: the Massachusetts Bay Colony was established by English Puritans (Congregationalists), Pennsylvania by British Quakers, Maryland by English Catholics, and Virginia by English Anglicans. Despite these, and as a result of intervening religious strife and preference in England〔See: English Civil War, Glorious Revolution, Restoration (England) and Nonconformists〕 the Plantation Act 1740 would set official policy for new immigrants coming to British America until the American Revolution. The text of the First Amendment to the country's Constitution states that "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances." It guarantees the free exercise of religion while also preventing the government from establishing a state religion. However the states were not bound by the provision and as late as the 1830s Massachusetts provided tax money to local Congregational churches. The Supreme Court since the 1940s has interpreted the Fourteenth Amendment as applying the First Amendment to the state and local governments. President John Adams and a unanimous Senate endorsed the Treaty of Tripoli in 1797 that stated: ""the Government of the United States of America is not, in any sense, founded on the Christian religion."〔The treaty (is online )〕 According to a 2002 survey by the Pew forum, nearly 6 in 10 Americans said that religion plays an important role in their lives, compared to 33% in Great Britain, 27% in Italy, 21% in Germany, 12% in Japan and 11% in France. The survey report stated that the results showed America having a greater similarity to developing nations (where higher percentages say that religion plays an important role) than to other wealthy nations, where religion plays a minor role.〔 In 1963, 90% of Americans claimed to be Christians while only 2% professed no religious identity. In 2014, the percentage of Christians was closer to 70% with close to 23% claiming no religious identity.〔 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Religion in the United States」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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