by Jonathan Evans, Pew Research Center
Do you need to believe in God to be moral and have good values? Views on this question vary widely around the world, according to a 2025 Pew Research Center survey of 25 countries. About this research
Is belief in God necessary to be moral? Views differ widely by country
Nearly everyone in Indonesia (99%), as well as the vast majority of people in Kenya (94%), India (85%) and South Africa (80%), say it’s necessary to believe in God to be moral.
By contrast, in about a dozen countries, two-thirds of adults or more say it’s not necessary to believe in God to be moral. This includes the United States (68%), Poland (80%), Spain (84%) and Sweden (89%).
In some countries – including the U.S. – declining shares of people say it’s necessary to believe in God to be moral and have good values, according to the survey.