Deseret News: U.S. Catholics really like Pope Francis
Six Months Into Papacy, Large Majority of Catholics Continue To Express Favorable View of Pope Francis
After six eventful months, Pope Francis is rated favorably by eight-in-ten U.S. Catholics (79%), largely unchanged since the days immediately following his ascension to the papacy.
Religious Leaders’ Views on Radical Life Extension
No religious group in the United States has released an official statement on radical life extension. However, here are brief summaries of how some clergy, bioethicists and other scholars from 18 major American religious groups say their traditions might approach this evolving issue.
NYT: Pope’s Trip to Brazil Seen as ‘Strong Start’ in Revitalizing Church
Bloomberg: Pope Francis starts Rio trip to get more youth in pews
American Catholics want Pope Francis to address abuse scandal
As Pope Francis begins to address issues facing the church, Pew Research Center surveys of American Catholics finds that seven-in-ten think it's important for the church to address the sex-abuse scandal.
Public Esteem for Military Still High
More than three-quarters of Americans continue to believe that members of the military contribute “a lot” to society’s well-being. By contrast, only 37% say clergy make a big contribution to society, and journalists have dropped the most in public esteem since 2009.
Public Esteem for Military Still High
More than three-quarters of U.S. adults (78%) say members of the military contribute “a lot” to society’s well-being, according to a new survey of Americans’ views on various professions. By contrast, just 37% of Americans think the clergy contribute a lot, putting religious leaders well behind teachers, medical doctors, scientists and engineers.
Iranians’ Views Mixed on Political Role for Religious Figures
As Iranians prepare to elect a new president on June 14, a Pew Research survey shows that just 40% think religious figures should play a large role in politics, while a quarter say religious figures should have some influence, and three-in-ten believe they should have little or no influence. But an overwhelming majority of Iranians say they back the use of Islamic law.
