More than half of Americans believe teachers should be permitted to lead their students in prayers that specifically mention Jesus, according to a new Pew Research Center survey that highlights sharp splits in opinion depending on state politics.

According to the Christian Post, the 2023–24 Religious Landscape Study finds 52% of U.S. adults favor allowing teacher-led Christian prayers in classrooms, but sentiment varies widely by region and political alignment, with stronger support in states that voted for Donald Trump and greater opposition in those that backed Kamala Harris.

The data, published Monday, comes from Pew’s comprehensive survey of 36,908 adults conducted between July 17, 2023, and March 4, 2024. This large-scale polling effort breaks down views on school prayer at the state level, offering a detailed look at how public opinion shifts across the country.

Among the 52% of Americans who support Christian prayer in schools, 27% express strong approval. Meanwhile, 46% of respondents oppose the idea, with 22% firmly opposed. These figures reveal a small national consensus that masks deeper regional differences.

Deep divides emerge between red and blue states

States with the highest support for teacher-led prayers mentioning Jesus are largely concentrated in the South and parts of the Midwest. Mississippi topped the list with 81% of adults favoring the policy. Alabama and Arkansas followed closely at 75%, with Louisiana at 74% and South Carolina at 71%.

Other states with strong support include Kentucky, Oklahoma, and West Virginia at 67%, Tennessee at 66%, and South Dakota at 65%. Most of these states voted overwhelmingly for Trump in the 2024 election, underlining the correlation between political leaning and religious attitudes.

North Carolina and Georgia also showed majority approval—61% and 63%, respectively—despite voting for Harris in the presidential race, marking them as notable exceptions to the broader trend.

Mixed results were found across swing states

Slight majorities favored Christian school prayer in states such as Indiana, Kansas, Missouri, and Florida, with support levels ranging from 56% to 58%. Delaware and New Mexico also leaned supportive, with 56% and 54%, even though both supported the Democratic ticket in 2024.

Arizona, Michigan, and Ohio, all battleground states, reported 53% approval. These numbers reflect narrow splits among voters who were nearly evenly divided in presidential preferences as well.

States like Virginia, Iowa, and Pennsylvania showcased almost equal margins, with about 51–52% favoring Christian prayer and roughly 46% opposed. Rhode Island, Maryland, and Nevada were close to an even split as well, with approximately half in support and just under half dissenting.

The opposition concentrated in coastal and northern states

In contrast, opposition was stark in traditionally liberal regions. More than two-thirds of adults in Washington, D.C., opposed Christian school prayer, followed by 65% in Oregon, 64% in Vermont, and 61% in Washington state.

Connecticut and New Hampshire registered 60% opposition, while Minnesota showed 59% against the practice. Other states with majorities objecting include Massachusetts, Colorado, California, and Maine, all with more than 55% of respondents opposing teacher-led prayers referencing Jesus.

According to Pew Research Associate Chip Rotolo, “In 22 states, more adults say they favor allowing teachers to lead their classes in prayers that refer to Jesus than say they oppose it.” He added that 12 states and the District of Columbia had more opponents than supporters of the practice, and 16 states fell into the statistically tied category.

Broader support seen for non-specific school prayer

Pew also measured responses to a less specific form of prayer: allowing teachers to lead discussions that mention “God” without referring to a particular faith. In this case, 57% of Americans were supportive, a higher margin than for Christian-only prayer.

The state-level patterns remained relatively consistent. States like Mississippi and Arkansas again showed the highest approval, 77% and 76%, respectively. Louisiana, Alabama, and South Carolina followed at 74% each, with Tennessee not far behind at 69% approval.

Even more politically mixed states expressed support in the 55–60% range. This included Arizona, Kansas, Idaho, and New Mexico. Swing states like Pennsylvania, Michigan, and Virginia also hovered around 56–57% favorability for non-denominational prayer.

Opposition to generic prayer also follows political lines

Despite broader approval, substantial opposition to generic prayer emerged in several Democratic-leaning states. In Oregon, 63% opposed this practice, while Washington, D.C., showed a 60% disapproval rate. Other states with majority opposition included Colorado, Vermont, and New Hampshire.

Connecticut and Minnesota were evenly split on this question, with around 51% opposed and 46% in favor. This reflected a more moderate stance but still demonstrated clear resistance in traditionally liberal states.

The Pew report notes that “state-level patterns are similar on both questions,” and cautions that this issue remains a contentious and culturally potent debate. “It’s important to note that teacher-led Christian prayers are just one way that religion can play a role in public schools,” Rotolo reminded.

Overall, the findings of the Pew study show that while Americans are slightly more open to general references to God in the classroom than to explicitly Christian prayers, both practices continue to divide the public strongly along political and geographic lines.