Fewer people in the United States and around the world say it is necessary to believe in God in order to be moral, according to a new Pew Research Center analysis.
In the U.S., 68% of adults say belief in God is not necessary to have good values and be moral, while a smaller share say it is required.
Views vary widely across the 25 countries included in the survey. Nearly all adults in Indonesia — 99% — say belief in God is necessary for morality. Large majorities in Kenya (94%), India (85%) and South Africa (80%) also hold that view.
By contrast, majorities in about a dozen countries say belief in God is not required to be moral. In addition to the United States, this includes Poland, Spain and Sweden.
In the U.S., the share of people linking belief in God with morality has declined over time. Pew has asked the question 18 times since 2002.
From 2002 through 2011, Americans were generally split on the issue or slightly more likely to say belief in God was necessary. But starting in 2014, the balance shifted.
Since 2020, about two-thirds of U.S. adults have said people do not need to believe in God to be moral.
The trend is visible in other countries as well. Between 2022 and 2025, 11 of the countries surveyed saw declines in the share of adults who say belief in God is necessary for morality.
Germany experienced one of the largest recent drops. About 21% of Germans now say belief in God is necessary to be moral, down from 37% in 2022.
In general, countries where belief in God is more widespread are also more likely to link religion with morality. In countries such as Brazil, India, Indonesia, Kenya, Nigeria, South Africa and Turkey, majorities of adults connect belief in God with being moral.
The survey results also show that individuals who say religion is very important in their lives are much more likely than others to say belief in God is necessary to have good values.
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