Joshua Bennett
Asian Americans are a diverse group, encompassing a variety of religious faiths and backgrounds. While the share of those with no religion is rising, with 32% saying they have no religion, Christianity remains the largest faith group among Asian Americans (34%), with 17% of Asian American adults identifying as Catholic. The percentage of Catholics varies among the different Asian-American subgroups, with 65% of Filipino Americans, 30% of Vietnamese Americans, 10% of Korean Americans, 8% of Chinese Americans, 5% of Indian Americans, and 4% of Japanese Americans identifying as Catholic.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Percentage of Asian Americans who are Christian | 34% |
| Percentage of Asian Americans who are Catholic | 17% |
| Percentage of Filipino Americans who are Catholic | 57-66% |
| Percentage of Vietnamese Americans who are Catholic | 30% |
| Percentage of Korean Americans who are Catholic | 10% |
| Percentage of Chinese Americans who are Catholic | 8% |
| Percentage of Indian Americans who are Catholic | 5% |
| Percentage of Japanese Americans who are Catholic | 4% |
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What You'll Learn
Filipino Americans are the largest Asian-American subgroup
Filipino Americans are the largest subgroup of Overseas Filipinos. They are also the third-largest population of Asian Americans, accounting for approximately 19% of the country's Asian population. As of 2023, there were an estimated 4.6 million people in the United States who identified as Filipino. This number includes multiracial Americans who were part-Filipino.
The Philippines is heavily Catholic, and this is reflected in the religious composition of Filipino Americans. A majority of Filipino Americans are Catholic, with 65% identifying as such in 2015. This made them the largest group of Asian-American Catholics in 2010, comprising more than three-fourths of Asian American Catholics. Filipino Americans who are first-generation immigrants are more likely to attend mass weekly and tend to be more conservative than those born in the United States.
Filipino Americans have a high level of educational attainment and economic incorporation. They had the second-highest median family income among Asian Americans in 2004 and 47.9% of Filipino Americans over the age of 25 held a bachelor's degree in 2004. They own a variety of businesses, making up 10.5% of all Asian-owned businesses in the United States in 2007. California had the largest number of Filipino-owned businesses, particularly in the Los Angeles metropolitan area.
Filipino Americans are also politically active, with a notable presence in Congress and other elected positions. They have the largest number of interracial marriages among Asian immigrant groups in California, and they are the most integrated Asian American subgroup, according to Professor Pei-te Lien of the University of California, Santa Barbara.
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65% of Filipino Americans are Catholic
The Philippines has one of the largest Catholic populations in the world, with about 76 million Catholics as of 2010. This number rose to 85 million in the 2020 census, representing 78.8% of the country's population. The Philippines is heavily Catholic, and this is reflected in the religious composition of Filipino Americans.
A majority of Filipino Americans are Catholic, with 65% identifying as such according to a 2012 survey by the Pew Research Center. This is a slightly smaller share than Filipino Americans in their ancestral land, where about 8 in 10 Filipinos (81%) are Catholic. The high percentage of Catholics among Filipino Americans makes them the largest subgroup of Catholic Asian Americans.
The strong Catholic identity of the Philippines influences the social views of Filipino Americans. Many hold conservative views on social issues that align with Catholic Church teachings. For example, Filipinos have a strong moral opposition to abortion, with 93% saying it is immoral. They also overwhelmingly view divorce as morally unacceptable (67%), which is three times the share of Americans who hold this view (22%).
The religious composition of Asian Americans is diverse, with each of the six largest subgroups displaying a different religious complexion. While a majority of Filipino Americans are Catholic, other subgroups have different religious affiliations. For example, 30% of Vietnamese Americans are Buddhist, 10% of Korean Americans are Protestant, and 8% of Chinese Americans are unaffiliated.
The Asian American community encompasses a range of religious beliefs, from highly religious to highly secular. The diversity of faiths among Asian Americans reflects their varied origins and circumstances, with some arriving in the United States as refugees or unskilled workers, while others immigrate for higher education or opportunities in high-tech industries, science, or engineering.
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30% of Vietnamese Americans are Buddhist
Asian Americans are a diverse group, with a variety of faiths and beliefs. While the majority of Filipino Americans are Catholic, the largest religious group among Vietnamese Americans is Buddhist, with 30% of the population following this faith.
Buddhism has a long history in Vietnam, arriving as early as the 3rd or 2nd century BCE from India or in the 1st or 2nd century CE from China. Vietnamese Buddhism is primarily Mahayana Buddhism, which has influenced and been influenced by Taoism, Confucianism, and Vietnamese folk religion. Vietnamese Buddhism is generally inclusive and syncretic, drawing on various Chinese Buddhist traditions.
Vietnamese Americans, like their counterparts in Vietnam, display a range of religious beliefs and practices. While a significant number are Buddhists, there are also Christians, including Catholics, as well as those who follow folk religions or are unaffiliated.
The religious landscape of the Vietnamese American community reflects the diversity of origins and circumstances among this immigrant population. Some may have come to the United States as refugees, while others may have sought educational or professional opportunities. This diversity is also reflected in the varying levels of religious commitment, with some groups expressing lower levels of religious importance than the general American public.
Vietnamese Buddhism in the United States, similar to its form in Vietnam, may be influenced by cultural and philosophical heritage shared with China due to geographical proximity and historical annexations. Vietnamese Buddhist temples and communities in the United States may also be influenced by the revival of traditional beliefs and practices, including the worship of local spirits and goddesses, as seen in Vietnamese folk religion.
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17% of Asian American adults are Catholic
The Pew Research Center's Religious Landscape Study, conducted in 2007, 2014, and 2023-24, provides valuable insights into the religious affiliations of Asian Americans. According to the study, 17% of Asian American adults identify as Catholic. This percentage has remained relatively stable over the years, with a slight decrease from 19% in 2012.
The Asian American community encompasses individuals from various countries and religious backgrounds, resulting in a diverse mosaic of faiths. While Christianity is the largest faith group among Asian Americans, with 34% identifying as Christians, there are significant variations within this group. Asian American Christians are almost evenly split between Catholics (17%) and Protestants (16%), including both mainline Protestants and evangelical or born-again Protestants.
Among the different subgroups within the Asian American community, religious affiliations vary. For example, Filipino Americans have the largest proportion of Catholics, with 57% or 65% identifying as such. On the other hand, Korean Americans are predominantly Protestant, with 34% being evangelical Protestants and 12% nonevangelicals. Indian Americans are among the least likely to identify as Christians, with only 15% claiming that religion.
The presence of religious symbols and practices in the home also varies among Asian American Catholics. Approximately two-thirds of Asian American Catholics (65%) report having a home shrine, altar, or religious symbol for worship, which is significantly higher than the 9% reported by non-Catholic Filipino Americans. These findings highlight the cultural and religious diversity that exists within the Asian American community, where individuals may adhere to a range of faiths or choose to have no religious affiliation at all.
In conclusion, the statistic that 17% of Asian American adults are Catholic sheds light on the complex religious landscape of the Asian American community. This diversity extends beyond religious affiliation, influencing practices such as the presence of home shrines and the importance of religion in daily life. Understanding these nuances is crucial for comprehending the multifaceted identities and cultural backgrounds of Asian Americans.
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Asian American Catholics are more likely to have a shrine at home
Asian Americans, as a whole, present a diverse range of faiths, with each of the six largest subgroups displaying different religious leanings. Filipinos in the U.S., for example, are predominantly Catholic, while Korean Americans are largely Protestant. Asian American Christians make up 42% of the Asian American population, with 17% of Asian American adults identifying as Catholic.
While Asian Americans are less likely than the general American population to believe in God and pray daily, and a higher proportion is unaffiliated with any religion, Asian American Catholics exhibit higher levels of religious commitment than their white Catholic counterparts. Two-thirds of Asian American Catholics say religion is very important in their lives, compared with 54% of white Catholics. This is reflected in their religious practices, with Asian Americans more likely to attend worship services weekly than the general American public.
Asian American Catholics are also more likely to have a shrine, altar, or religious symbol in their homes for worship, with 65% reporting that they have one, compared to 11% of evangelical Protestants and 14% of non-evangelicals. This may be influenced by cultural and religious practices from their countries of origin, such as the Philippines, where Catholicism is the predominant religion.
In addition to Filipinos, other Asian American subgroups with a significant Catholic population include Vietnamese Americans (30%), Korean Americans (10%), and Chinese Americans (8%). These communities may also contribute to the prevalence of home shrines among Asian American Catholics, as cultural and religious traditions from their ancestral lands are integrated into their American lives.
The presence of shrines in the homes of Asian American Catholics reflects their strong religious commitment and provides a space for personal worship and connection to their faith. It also highlights the diversity within the Asian American community, where different religious subgroups coexist and maintain their unique beliefs and practices.
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Frequently asked questions
17% of Asian American adults are Catholic.
Filipino Americans. 57% to 66% of Filipino Americans are Catholic.
Vietnamese Americans. 30% to 37% of Vietnamese Americans are Buddhist, while 33% to 34% are Christian.
Indian Americans. Only 5% to 15% of Indian Americans are Catholic.
In some cases, the percentage of Catholics among Asian-American subgroups is higher than in their ancestral lands. For example, 31% of Chinese Americans are Christian, while only 5% of people in mainland China are estimated to be Christian.
