The number of Americans identifying as non-religious is soaring according to new data released by the Pew Research Centre.
In the US, which is profoundly Christian, an estimated three in 1o adults (29 per cent) are now religiously unaffiliated. This figure has increased significantly from 16 per cent 14 years ago.
The Pew Research Centre's survey data refers to people who self-describe as atheists, agnostics, or “nothing in particular” when asked about their religious identity.
In 2007, some 78 per cent of American adults identified as Christian. This number has now dropped to 63 per cent according to the new data.
Research suggests that the secular shift is mostly amongst Protestant communities, with the Catholic share of the population holding relatively steady in recent years.
Currently, some 40 per cent of adults identify as Protestant which is a significant decline from when the figure was over 50 per cent in 2007.
Other faiths including Islam, Buddhism, Hinduism and Judaism make up just 6 per cent of the American population.
