Wave III: Baylor Religion Survey

Baylor University Survey Examines How Religion Affects Individuals' Outlook and Well-Being in Tumultuous Times

Survey Explores Links Between Religion and Mental Health, Religion's Role in Work and Differing Views of Liberals and Conservatives about Life's Meaning

Media contacts: Lori Fogleman, director of media communications, (254) 710-6275 or Terry Goodrich, assistant director of media communications, (254) 710-3321

Baylor University has released the latest findings from Wave III of the Baylor Religion Survey, one of the most extensive surveys ever conducted on the religious practices, attitudes, beliefs and values of the American public.

The latest findings – presented at a press briefing on Sept. 17, 2011, at the Religion Newswriters Association annual conference in Durham, N.C., and embargoed for release until Sept. 20, 2011 – focus on several core themes:

• health and religiosity
• the relationship between entrepreneurship/work and religion
• religion and the American ethos (individual)
• religion and cultural issues, such as politics and same-sex marriage

A total of 1,714 adults chosen randomly from across the country answered more than 300 items in the Baylor Religion Survey, designed by Baylor University scholars and conducted by The Gallup Organization in the fall of 2010. The latest analyses were carried out by researchers at Baylor's Department of Sociology and Hankamer School of Business and funded by Baylor University, with support from the National Science Foundation and the John M. Templeton Foundation.

The 2011 Baylor Religion Survey is a follow-up to the groundbreaking surveys released in 2006 and 2008 by Baylor's renowned Institute for Studies of Religion that painted a fascinating portrait of American religious life in the 21st century.