A growing number profess no religion, yet many maintain ties to religious traditions for cultural or familial reasons. According to a recent survey, 40% of Asian Americans feel a close connection to religious traditions for reasons beyond religious beliefs. For instance, although just 11% of Asian American adults identify as Buddhists, 21% feel an affinity with Buddhism, driven by family background or cultural influences, according to the survey by Pew Research Centre.
KEY RELIGIOUS PROFILES OF ASIAN AMERICANS
Religiously Unaffiliated: The proportion of religiously unaffiliated Asian Americans has risen to 32% from 26% in 2012.
Christianity: Christianity remains the largest faith group among Asian Americans, accounting for 34%. However, it has experienced an 8% decline since 2012. Asian American Christians are evenly divided between Catholics and Protestants, with 17% and 16% of all U.S. Asian adults, respectively. Born-again or evangelical Protestants make up 10% of Asian Americans.
Buddhists, Hindus, and Muslims: Buddhists and Hindus each constitute about one-tenth of Asian Americans, with Muslims making up 6%. Various other religious groups, including Daoists, Jains, Jews, Sikhs, and more, collectively represent about 4% of all Asian American adults.
Religious Importance: The survey also assessed the importance of religion in the lives of Asian Americans, with 31% indicating it is very important.
Religious Practices: Approximately 29% report attending religious services at least once a month, while 36% have altars, shrines, or religious symbols for home worship.
DIVERSE AFFILIATIONS AMONG ASIAN ORIGIN GROUPS
There are notable variations in religious affiliations among Asian Americans based on their ethnic origin:
- Chinese and Japanese Americans have the highest proportions of “nones” (those without religious affiliation), with 56% and 47%, respectively.
- Filipino Americans are predominantly Christian, particularly Catholic, at 75%.
- Korean Americans are largely Christian, with a significant proportion identifying as born-again or evangelical Protestants.
- Indian Americans are more likely to be Hindu but also include Christians, Muslims, and Sikhs.
- Vietnamese Americans are most likely to identify as Buddhists.
- These six large Asian origin groups (Chinese, Filipino, Indian, Japanese, Korean, and Vietnamese Americans) account for 81% of all Asian Americans.
THE METHOD
The survey was conducted by Pew Research Center and included 7,006 Asian American adults. Notably, while nearly a third of Asian Americans consider religion significant in their lives, Asian American Muslims and Christians are more likely to feel this way compared to Asian American Hindus and Buddhists.
Ethnic origin played a role in these differences, with Japanese and Chinese Americans less likely to view religion as very important. Additionally, foreign-born Asian Americans are more inclined to attend religious services regularly compared to those born in the U.S.
HOME WORSHIP PRACTICES: SHRINES AND ALTARS
Around 36% of Asian Americans have altars, shrines, or religious symbols in their homes for worship. This practice is more common among Vietnamese and Indian Americans, particularly among Buddhists and Hindus.
Interestingly, only 15% of Asian Americans combine regular religious service attendance with home worship, reflecting the diverse practices within different groups.
CULTURAL AFFINITIES AND RELIGION
Asian Americans’ religious identity often extends beyond conventional beliefs, reflecting a blend of culture and faith. The survey revealed that 40% of Asian American adults feel connected to religious traditions for reasons unrelated to its beliefs. For example, 21% feel close to Buddhism without identifying as Buddhists, and 18% maintain a connection to Christianity for cultural or familial reasons. This pattern is also seen with Confucianism.
Notably, approximately 63% of religiously unaffiliated Asian Americans maintain ties to one or more traditions for cultural or familial reasons.
This survey provides a multifaceted view of the religious landscape among Asian Americans, emphasizing the intricate interplay of faith and tradition within this diverse community.
