Among "developed nations", the US is one of the most religious. According to a 2002 study by the Pew Global Attitudes Project, the US was the only developed nation in the survey where a majority of citizens reported that religion played a "very important" role in their lives, an attitude similar to that found in its neighbors in Latin America.

Most U.S. citizens adhere to Christianity (78.5%). A 2001 survey found 15% of the population to have no religious affiliation, still significantly less than in other postindustrial countries such as Britain (44%) and Sweden (69%). Judaism is the second most prominent religion, with estimates ranging from 4.2 million (or 1.4% of the population) to 7 million (or 2.5% of the population). Other minority religions include Islam (about 2.4 million, or 0.6% to 0.7%, Buddhism (0.5% to 0.7%), and Hinduism (0.4%).

The U.S. religious marketplace is extremely volatile, with nearly half of American adults leaving the faith tradition of their upbringing to either switch allegiances or abandon religious affiliation altogether, a new survey found February 25, 2008.

Several of original 13 colonies were established by English settlers who wished to worship their own religion without discrimination: Pennsylvania was established by Quakers, Maryland by Roman Catholics and the Massachusetts Bay Colony by Puritans. The United States was one of the first countries in the world to enact a separation of church and state and freedom of religion. Modeling the provisions concerning religion within the Virginia Statute for Religious Freedom, the framers of the United States Constitution rejected any religious test for office, and the First Amendment specifically denied the central government any power to enact any law respecting either an establishment of religion, or prohibiting its free exercise. The framers were mainly influenced by Enlightenment ideals, but they also considered the pragmatic concerns of minority religious groups who did not want to be under the power or influence of a state religion that did not represent them.

Main religious preferences of Americans

A. Christianity

The largest religion in the US is Christianity, practiced by nearly 78.5% of the total population. Roughly 51.3% are Protestants, 23.9% are Catholics, and 1.7% are Mormons (the name commonly used to refer to members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints). Christianity was introduced during the period of European colonization.

The French and Spanish brought Catholicism, while Northern European peoples introduced Protestantism. Among Protestants, adherents to Anglicanism, Baptism, Calvinism, Puritanism, Presbyterianism, Lutheranism, Quakerism, Amish and Moravian Church were the first to settle to the US spreading their faith in the new country.

Since then, American Christians developed in their own path. During the Great Awakenings interdenominational evangelicalism, Pentecostalism and Christian fundamentalism emerged, along with new Protestant denominations such as Adventism, and new branches of Restorationism, particularly Jehovah's Witnesses and The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, also commonly referred to as Mormonism. Today, with 16.6 million adherents (5.3% of the total population), Southern Baptist is the largest Protestant denomination. Evangelicals play an important part in contemporary life of US citizens. Of the total population, Evangelicals comprise 26.3%, and Mainline Protestants 16%. The strength of various sects varies greatly in different regions of the country, with rural parts of the South (except Louisiana and the Hispanic community) having many evangelicals but very few Catholics, while urbanized areas of the north Atlantic states and Great Lakes, as well as many industrial and mining towns, are heavily Catholic, though still quite mixed. Mormons are predominant in Utah, Idaho, and neighboring states.

Despite its status as the most widespread and influential religion of the US, Christianity is undergoing a continuous relative decline. While the absolute number of Christians rose from 1990 to 2001, the Christian percentage of the population dropped from 88.3% to 78.5%.

B. Judaism

Judaism is the third-largest religious preference in the US. Jews have been present in the US since the 17th century, though large scale immigration didn't take place until the 19th century, much as a result of persecutions in parts of Eastern Europe. The CIA Fact Book estimates 1% of Americans belong to this group. Approximately 25% of this population lives in New York City.

A significant number of people identify themselves as American Jews on ethnic and cultural grounds, rather than religious ones. The 2001 ARIS study projected from its sample that there are about 5.3 million adults in the American Jewish population: 2.83 million adults (1.4% of the U.S. adult population) are estimated to be adherents of Judaism; 1.08 million are estimated to be adherents of no religion; and 1.36 million are estimated to be adherents of a religion other than Judaism.

According to the 2001 National Jewish Population Survey, 4.3 million American Jews have some sort of strong connection to the Jewish community, whether religious or cultural. Jewishness is generally considered an ethnic identity as well as a religious one. Among the 4.3 million American Jews described as "strongly connected" to Judaism, over 80% have some sort of active engagement with Judaism, ranging from attendance at daily prayer services on one end of the spectrum to as little as attending Passover Seders or lighting Hanukkah candles on the other. Of these 4.3 million strongly connected Jews, 46% belong to a synagogue. Among those who belong to a synagogue, 38% are members of Reform synagogues, 33% Conservative, 22% Orthodox, 2% Reconstructionist, and 5% other types. The survey also discovered that Jews in the Northeast and Midwest are generally more observant than Jews in the South or West. Reflecting a trend also observed among other religious groups, Jews in the Northwestern United States are typically the least observant.

In recent years, there has been a noticeable trend of secular American Jews, called baalei teshuva ("returners", see also Repentance in Judaism), returning to a more religious, in most cases, Orthodox, style of observance. It is uncertain how widespread or demographically important this movement is at present.

C. Buddhism

Buddhism entered the US during the 19th century with the arrive of the first immigrants from Eastern Asia. The first Buddhist temple was established in San Francisco in 1853 by Chinese Americans.

During the late 19th century Buddhist missionaries from Japan came to the US. Simultaneously to these processes, US intellectuals started to take interest in Buddhism.

The first prominent US citizen to publicly convert to Buddhism was Henry Steel Olcott. An event that contributed to strengthen Buddhism in the US was the Parliament of the World's Religions in 1893, which was attended by many Buddhist delegates sent from China, Japan, Thailand and Sri Lanka.

The early 20th century was characterized by a continuation of the tendencies with roots in the 19th century. The second half, by contrast, saw the emergence of new approaches, and the move of Buddhism into the mainstream making itself a mass and social religious phenomenon.

Many foreign associations and teachers - such as Soka Gakkai and Tenzin Gyatso the 14th Dalai Lama (for Tibetan Buddhism) - started to organize missionary activities, while US converts established the first Western-based Buddhist institutions, temples and worship groups.

According to latest surveys there are 6 million Buddhists in nowadays US (roughly 2% of the population).

D. Islam

The history of Islam in the US starts in the early 16th century with the confirmed arrival of Muslim explorer and sailor Estevanico of Azamor and early Muslim visitors. Once very small, the Muslim population has increased greatly in the last one hundred years. There is much controversy over recent estimates of the Muslim population in the US. Much of the growth has been driven by immigration.

Up to one-third of American Muslims are African Americans who have converted to Islam during the last seventy years, most of whom first joined the Nation of Islam, though many later transitioned into mainstream Sunnism. Conversion to Islam in prisons has also contributed to its growth over the years.

Research indicates that Muslims in the US are generally more assimilated and prosperous than Muslims in Europe. Surveys also suggest, however, that they are less assimilated than other American subcultural and religious communities. There are many Islamic political and charity organizations supporting this community. Some of these organizations have been accused of pursuing Islamist agendas.

Muslim immigration is rising as in 2005 alone more people from Islamic countries became legal permanent US residents than in any year in the previous two decades. Number of Muslims in the US is controversial. The highest, generally-accepted estimate of Muslims (including children) in the United States is 2.8 million (1.0% of the total population. For some time, media accepted estimates of 6 million to 10 million Muslims, but these estimates have no empirical basis.

E. Hinduism

The first time Hinduism entered the US is not clearly identifiable. However, large groups of Hindus immigrated from India and other Asian countries since the Immigration and Nationality Act of 1965. During the 1960s and 1970s Hinduism exercised fascination contributing to the development of New Age thought. During the same decades, in the US was founded the International Society for Krishna Consciousness, a Vaishnavite Hindu reform organization.

At present, estimates for Hindus in the US suggest they number roughly 3 million (0.9% of the total population), of which 2 million of ethnic ancestry and 1 million Western converts.

Hindu religion is growing in the US, not only thanks to immigration but also due many Western converts. Hinduism is expanding in popularity and influence on the public life. In 2004 the Hindu American Foundation - a national institution spreading the religion and protecting rights the Hindu community of US - was founded.

Hindu temples are flourishing in the US and recently, in July 2007, a Hindu service has been held to open a senate session. The event has been criticized and disrupted by many evangelical and fundamentalist Christians.

F. Unitarian Universalism

Unitarian Universalism (UUism) came into existence as a unique religion when the Unitarian Universalist Association (UUA) was founded in 1961 as a consolidation of the American Unitarian Association and the Universalist Church in America. Unitarian Universalism is a theologically liberal religious movement characterized by its support of a "free and responsible search for truth and meaning." Unitarian Universalism is a covenantal religion. Members do not share a creed; rather they are unified by their shared search for spiritual growth. Unitarian Universalists draw on many different sources and have a wide range of beliefs and practices.

Being historically derived from Unitarianism and Universalism, Unitarian Universalism traces its roots to Christian Protestantism, however, the theological significance of both Unitariansm and Universalism had significantly expanded beyond the traditional understanding prior to their decision to combine their efforts at the continental level as Unitarian Universalists. Many UUs appreciate and value aspects of Islamic, Christian and Jewish spirituality, but the extent to which the elements of any particular faith tradition are incorporated into one's personal spiritual practices is a matter of personal choice in keeping with Unitarian Universalism's creedless, non-dogmatic approach to spirituality and faith development.

As a result of these historical roots, Unitarian Universalist congregations and fellowships tend to retain some Christian traditions such as Sunday worship that includes a sermon and singing of hymns, despite the fact that they do not necessarily identify themselves as Christians.

According to the 2007 survey published by the Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life .3% of U.S. adults or approximately 340,000 individuals identified themselves as Unitarian Universalist.

G. No Religion

Recent census information indicated that "no religious identification" has had the greatest increase in population in absolute as well as in percentage terms. Figures are up from 14.3 million in 1990 to 29.4 million in 2001 moving from 8% of the total in 1990 to over 14% in 2001. The United States is unique amongst other post-industrial countries in that it has a relatively low percentage of people claiming to have no religious beliefs but the fluidity of religion in the country is high, with a study by the Pew forum showing around half the population had abandoned the faith of their childhood. The negative results of organized religions resulting in the 2001 terrorist attacks and the emergence of Christian fundamentalist groups campaigning against scientific research, evolution and abortion rights have been cited as reasons for a growing number questioning mainstream religion and abandoning it altogether.

H. Others

Several other religions are represented in the United States, including traditional Native American spirituality, New Age spirituality, Sikhism, Jainism, Shintoism, Taoism, Caodaism, the Bahá'í Faith, Heathenism and Neopaganism.

I. Native American religion

No particular religion or religious tradition is hegemonic among Native Americans in the United States. Most self-identifying and federally recognized Native Americans claim adherence to some form of Christianity, some of these being cultural and religious syntheses unique to the particular tribe. Traditional Native American spiritual rites and ceremonies are maintained by many Americans of both Native and non-Native identity. These spiritualities may accompany adherence to another faith, or can represent a person's primary religious identity. While much Native American spiritualism exists in a tribal-cultural continuum, and as such cannot be easily separated from tribal identity itself, certain other more clearly-defined movements have arisen within "Trad" Native American practitioners, these being identifiable as "religions" in the clinical sense. The Midewiwin Lodge is a traditional medicine society inspired by the oral traditions and prophesies of the Ojibwa (Chippewa) and related tribes. Traditional practices include the burning of sacred herbs (tobacco, sweetgrass, sage, etc.), the sweatlodge, fasting (paramount in "vision quests"), singing and drumming, and the smoking of natural tobacco in a pipe. A practitioner of Native American spiritualities and religions may incorporate all, some or none of these into their personal or tribal rituals.

Another significant religious body among Native peoples is known as the Native American Church. It is a syncretistic church incorporating elements of native spiritual practice from a number of different tribes as well as symbolic elements from Christianity. Its main rite is the peyote ceremony. Prior to 1890, traditional religious beliefs included Wakan Tanka. In the American Southwest, especially New Mexico, a syncretism between the Catholicism brought by Spanish missionaries and the native religion is common; the religious drums, chants, and dances of the Pueblo people are regularly part of Masses at Santa Fe's Saint Francis Cathedral. Native American-Catholic syncretism is also found elsewhere in the United States. (e.g., the National Kateri Tekakwitha Shrine in Fonda, New York and the National Shrine of the North American Martyrs in Auriesville, New York).

Native Americans are the only known ethnic group in the United States requiring a federal permit to practice their religion. The eagle feather law, (Title 50 Part 22 of the Code of Federal Regulations), stipulates that only individuals of certifiable Native American ancestry enrolled in a federally recognized tribe are legally authorized to obtain eagle feathers for religious or spiritual use. Native Americans and non-Native Americans frequently contest the value and validity of the eagle feather law, charging that the law is laden with discriminatory racial preferences and infringes on tribal sovereignty. The law does not allow Native Americans to give eagle feathers to non-Native Americans, a common modern and traditional practice. Many non-Native Americans have been adopted into Native American families, made tribal members and given eagle feathers.

Denominations and sects founded in the U.S.

• Episcopal Church in the United States - founded as an offshoot of the Church of England. Now the American branch of the Anglican Communion.
• United Church of Christ - descended from Congregationalist churches of New England; formed in 1957 as a united and uniting church from a union of the Congregational Christian Church and Evangelical and Reformed Church.
• Churches of Christ/Disciples of Christ - a restoration movement with no governing body. The Restoration Movement solidified as a historical phenomenon in 1832 when restorationists from two major movements championed by Barton W. Stone and Alexander Campbell merged (referred to as the "Stone-Campbell Movement").
• Pentecostalism - movement which emphasizes the role of the Holy Spirit, finds its historic roots in the Azusa Street Revival in Los Angeles, California, from 1904 to 1906, sparked by Charles Parham.
• Adventism - began as an inter-denominational movement. Its most vocal leader was William Miller, who in the 1830s in New York became convinced of an immanent Second Coming of Jesus.
• The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormon) - founded by Joseph Smith, Jr. in 1830 in New York. Now headquartered in Salt Lake City, Utah.
• Jehovah's Witnesses - originated with the religious movement known as Bible Students, which was founded in Pennsylvania in the late 1870s by Charles Taze Russell.
• Scientology - founded by L. Ron Hubbard
• Southern Baptist Convention, the largest Baptist group in the world and the largest Protestant denomination in the United States. In 1995, it renounced its 1845 origins in the defense of slavery and racial superiority.
• Unitarian Universalism - a theologically liberal religious movement founded in 1961 from the union of the well established Unitarian and Universalist churches.
• Christian Science - founded by Mary Baker Eddy

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