Americans are expressing their strongest support for religious freedom in at least seven years, according to new data released by the Becket Fund for Religious Liberty.

Becket’s latest Religious Freedom Index scored public support at 71 out of 100 — the highest level recorded since the nonprofit began publishing the index in 2019. The findings are based on a nationwide survey of 1,000 American adults.

The report also found a notable shift in attitudes toward public expressions of faith. In 2025, 57 percent of respondents said religious freedom is “inherently public” and that Americans should be free to share their beliefs openly in public spaces. That figure represents a five-point increase since 2020, according to Becket.

“It’s encouraging to see that a growing number of Americans reject the idea that faith belongs behind closed doors,” said Mark Rienzi, president and CEO of Becket. He added that the nation’s founders viewed public religious expression as a strength rather than a liability.

“Our nation is stronger when we allow our neighbors to bring their beliefs into the public square without fear, even when those beliefs cut against the grain,” Rienzi said.

Beyond public expression, the index found increased support for school choice policies and for recent U.S. Supreme Court rulings involving religious liberty — issues that have become flashpoints in broader cultural and political debates.

Becket said the data points to religious freedom remaining a unifying value despite polarization elsewhere in American politics.

“Year after year, the index has made clear that religious liberty remains one of our most cherished values,” Rienzi said. “Even amid deep divisions, our nation still believes that our first freedom belongs at the heart of our culture — not as a source of conflict, but as a foundation for overcoming it.”

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)