Empathy divides Americans by religion, with white evangelicals standing apart
Summary
A new survey finds that white evangelical Protestants are unique among major religious groups in seeing empathy as potentially harmful if it leads people away from society guided by God's truth. Most other religious groups view empathy as an important moral value that helps society. The survey also shows a big difference between Democrats and Republicans in how they view empathy.Key Facts
- 54% of white evangelical Protestants believe empathy can be dangerous if it conflicts with God's truth.
- Only 42% of white evangelical Protestants say empathy is a core moral value that builds a healthy society.
- At least 66% of other religious groups agree that empathy is a foundational moral value, with 83% of religiously unaffiliated people agreeing.
- There is a 30-point gap between political parties: 84% of Democrats see empathy as foundational, compared to 54% of Republicans.
- People identified as Christian nationalists are less likely to see empathy as important and more likely to view it as dangerous.
- The survey was conducted by the Public Religion Research Institute (PRRI) from August to September 2026, with over 5,500 adults across the U.S.
- Christian nationalism here means supporting U.S. laws based on Christianity and believing Christians should have dominance in society.
Read the Full Article
This is a fact-based summary from The Actual News. Click below to read the complete story directly from the original source.
