Religion

Religion in the United States is characterized by a diversity of religious beliefs and practices. From the early colonial days, America has been profoundly influenced by religion, as many European settlers came in search of religious freedom in this new land. The influence continues in American culture, social life, and politics. The First Amendment（第一修正案） to the US Constitution guarantees the free practice of religion and the non-establishment of religion by the federal government, while that doesn’t influence many politicians to discuss their religion to gain favor in campaigns.

      The largest religion in the US is Christianity. According to a 2017 study, 72% of the American population identified themselves as Christians (基督教徒), with roughly 36% are Protestants （新教徒）, and 22% are Catholics （天主教徒）. The same study says that other religions， including Judaism （犹太教）, Buddhism （佛教）, Hinduism（印度教）, and Islam（伊斯兰教），collectively make up about 5% of the population. Besides, nearly 20% of Americans claim no religious affiliation（宗教信仰）in this study.