What Do Jews and Mormons Have in Common?
By Lisa Krysiak and Sala Levin
An above-average knowledge of the "core teachings, history and leading figures of major world religions," according to a recent survey by the Pew Research Center. As a group, Jews came in second, averaging 20.5 correct answers out of 32 questions. Mormons gave Jews a run for their money, though, averaging 20.3 correct answers.
It seems that religious minorities in the U.S. are better-versed in the fundamental facts of world religions than their more populous counterparts; white Catholics and white mainline protestants came in fifth and sixth, respectively. Jews make up about 2.5 percent of the American population, while Mormons account for roughly 2 percent.
Do these results reflect a higher priority on education among these two religious groups? Perhaps. But interestingly, the one group that trumped both Jews and Mormons in the survey...