Some 40% of Americans say they are active in a church, religious, or spiritual organization. Compared with those who are not involved with such organizations, religiously active Americans are more trusting of others, are more optimistic about their impact on their community, think more highly of their community, are more involved in more organizations of all kinds, and devote more time to the groups to which they are active.

• 53% of religiously active Americans believe that other people are generally trustworthy, compared with 43% of those not involved with religious groups
• 45% of religiously active view their community as an excellent place to live, compared with 34% of those not active with religious groups
• 38% of religiously active Americans believe that they can have a major impact on their communities, compared with 27% of those not active with religious groups

A survey by the Pew Research Center’s Internet & American Life Project asked people about their membership in 28 different kinds of organizations and clubs. Religious and spiritual organizations topped the list, and those who were active in such groups were more active in all kinds of groups. The average number of groups that religiously active Americans are active in is 5.61, and those who are not involved with religious groups participate in 2.11 groups.  

Those who are active in religious groups spend an average of 7.5 hours per week in group activities compared with 5.4 hours for those not active in a religious group.

In many types of groups, the religiously active are involved in considerable greater percentages compared with the non-religious. For example:

• 35% are active in sports or recreation leagues for themselves or for their children (versus 17% for the non-religious).
• 34% are active in charitable or volunteer organizations such as Habitat for Humanity or the Humane Society (versus 15% for the non-religious).
• 30% are active in community groups or neighborhood associations (versus 11% for the non-religious).

With regard to technology, religiously active Americans use the internet, email, broadband, cell phones and social media platforms at similar rates to other Americans.

Americans who are members of religious groups are also engaged with core technology at levels similar to or higher than the overall population. Asked about their technology usage:

• 79% of Americans who are active in religious groups are internet users, compared with 75% of those not involved with religious groups
• 86% of Americans who are active in religious groups are cell phone users, compared with 80% of those not involved with religious groups
• 75% of religiously active Americans are email users, compared with 68% of those who are not involved with religious groups.
• 46% of these religiously active Americans use social networking sites such as Facebook, compared with 49% of those who are not involved with religious groups.
• 9% of these religiously active Americans use Twitter, compared with 10% of those not involved with religious groups

Asked about their own personal involvement with all kinds of groups, those who are religiously active often have good things to say about the role of the internet with those groups. Still, the religiously active are somewhat less likely to salute the internet’s impact on their own groups than their non-religious counterparts. For example:

• 49% of the religiously active view the internet as having a major impact and 34% having a minor impact on the ability to keep up with news and information from the groups in which they are active (compared with 59% and 25% for the non-religious).
• 38% of the religiously active view the internet as having a major impact and 37% having a minor impact on the ability to organize group activities for their groups (compared with 46% and 28% for the non-religious).
• 34% of the religiously active view the internet as having a major impact and 38% having a minor impact on the ability to find interesting groups to join (compared with 42% and 28% for the non-religious).
• 22% of the religiously active view the internet as having a major impact and 43% having a minor impact on the ability to volunteer their time to groups in which they are active (compared with 27% and 37% for the non-religious).
• 20% of the religiously active view the internet as having a major impact and 38% having a minor impact on the ability to contribute money to groups (compared with 28% and 31% for the non-religious).

When people are asked about their group activities, it is clear that they believe the internet is having a wide-ranging impact on their own engagement within civic and social groups.  This is true for all Americans, including those who are active in religious groups and organizations.  Asked to assess the overall impact of the internet on group activities:

• 68% of Americans who are active in religious groups (internet users and non-users alike) said the internet has had a major impact on the ability of groups to communicate with members.
• 62% of Americans who are active in religious groups said the internet has had a major impact on the ability of groups to draw attention to an issue.
• 57% of Americans who are active in religious groups said the internet has had a major impact on the ability of groups to connect with other groups.
• 58% of Americans who are active in religious groups said the internet has had a major impact on the ability of groups to impact society at large.
• 57% of Americans who are active in religious groups said the internet has had a major impact on the ability of groups to organize activities.
• 46% of Americans who are active in religious groups said the internet has had a major impact on the ability of groups to raise money.
• 44% of Americans who are active in religious groups said the internet has had a major impact on the ability of groups to recruit new members.
• 46% of Americans who are active in religious groups said the internet has had a major impact on the ability of groups to impact local communities.
• 30% of Americans who are active in religious groups said the internet has had a major impact on the ability of groups to find people to take leadership roles.