Sun-Times/WBBM Religion Roundup: How people of varying faiths view abortion

SHARE Sun-Times/WBBM Religion Roundup: How people of varying faiths view abortion
screen_shot_2018_03_01_at_9_54_52_am.png

A 2017 Pew Research Center survey found that roughly 70 percent of white Evangelical adults said they believe abortion “should be illegal in all or most cases.” A similar percentage of white “mainline” Protestants said they think abortion “should be legal in all or most cases.”

The debate over abortion rages on in Illinois, months after Gov. Bruce Rauner signed legislation expanding public funding. But how do Americans of varying faiths view abortion access?

A 2017 survey found that roughly 70 percent of white Evangelical adults said they believe abortion “should be illegal in all or most cases.”

A similar percentage of white “mainline” Protestants said they think abortion “should be legal in all or most cases.”

About 80 percent of Americans not tied to any religion said the same.

Just over half of the Catholics and black Protestants surveyed said they think abortion should be allowed in “all or most cases.”

Those most open to abortion rights, according to an earlier, more-detailed survey, are Unitarian Universalists, atheists and agnostics, followed by those of the Jewish, Buddhist and Episcopalian traditions.

Among the least open, as a group, to abortion rights: Jehovah’s Witnesses and Mormons.

The Religion Roundup is also featured on WBBM Newsradio (780 AM and 105.9 FM) on Sundays at 6:22 a.m., 9:22 a.m. and 9:22 p.m. For more religion coverage, check out suntimes.com. For tips and comments, email Robert Herguth at rherguth@suntimes.com.

The Latest
The Cubs opened the season against the reigning World Series champions in Texas.
Murder charges have been filed against suspect Christian I. Soto, 22. Investigators haven’t determined a motive for the attacks, but they say Soto had been smoking marijuana before the rampage.
To celebrate the historic coinciding of the emerging of two broods, artists can adopt a cicada for free in exchange for decorating it and displaying it publicly. Others can purchase the cicadas for $75.
Senators tasked with clearing Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s appointments are raising concerns over his renomination of Illinois Emergency Management Agency Director Alicia Tate-Nadeau after the Sun-Times last year reported an executive assistant accounted for more than $240,000 in billings.