Houston

=== Religion ===
{{bar box|title=Religious affiliation (2020)|titlebar=#ccf|background-color=#f8f9fa|float=right|bars={{bar percent|[[Christianity|Christian]]|darkblue|72}}
{{bar percent|[[Protestant]]|mediumblue|40}}
{{bar percent|[[Catholic Church|Catholic]]|mediumblue|29}}
{{bar percent|Other Christian|mediumblue|3}}
{{bar percent|Unaffiliated|purple|21}}
{{bar percent|[[Muslim]]|lightgreen|2}}
{{bar percent|[[Jewish]]|lightgreen|1}}
{{bar percent|[[Buddhist]]|lightgreen|1}}
{{bar percent|[[Hindu]]|lightgreen|0.5}}
{{bar percent|Other faiths|lightgreen|1.5}}}}Houston and its metropolitan area are the third-most religious and Christian area by percentage of population in the United States, and second in Texas behind the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex.<ref name=":17" /><ref>{{Cite web|date=July 29, 2015|title=Dallas Has the Most Christians|url=https://www.dmagazine.com/frontburner/2015/07/dallas-has-the-most-christians/|access-date=July 29, 2020|website=[[D Magazine]]|language=en}}</ref> Historically, Houston has been a center of [[Protestantism|Protestant Christianity]], being part of the [[Bible Belt]].<ref>{{Cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=VmlFCQAAQBAJ&pg=PP1 |title=A Call for Character Education and Prayer in the Schools |last=Jeynes |first=William H. |date=November 24, 2009 |publisher=ABC-CLIO |isbn=978-0313351044 |language=en |access-date=February 21, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160527154605/https://books.google.com/books?id=VmlFCQAAQBAJ&lpg=PP1&pg=PP1 |archive-date=May 27, 2016 |url-status=live }}</ref> Other Christian groups including [[Eastern Orthodox Church|Eastern]] and [[Oriental Orthodoxy|Oriental Orthodox]] Christianity, and non-Christian religions did not grow for much of the city's history because immigration was predominantly from [[Western Europe]] (which at the time was dominated by [[Western Christianity]] and favored by the quotas in federal immigration law). The [[Immigration and Nationality Act of 1965]] removed the quotas, allowing for the growth of other religions.<ref name=":9">{{Cite web |url=https://www.chron.com/local/history/culture-scene/article/Temples-of-the-gods-Houston-s-religious-10098734.php |title=Temples of the gods: Houston's religious diversity reflects community |last=Barned-Smith |first=St John |date=October 22, 2016 |website=Houston Chronicle |access-date=February 21, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180909024409/https://www.chron.com/local/history/culture-scene/article/Temples-of-the-gods-Houston-s-religious-10098734.php |archive-date=September 9, 2018 |url-status=live }}</ref>

According to a 2014 study by the [[Pew Research Center]], 73% of the population of the Houston area identified themselves as [[Christianity|Christians]], about 50% of whom claimed Protestant affiliations and about 19% claimed [[Catholic Church|Roman Catholic]] affiliations. Nationwide, about 71% of respondents identified as Christians. About 20% of Houston-area residents claimed [[Irreligion|no religious affiliation]], compared to about 23% nationwide.<ref name="pew">{{cite web |url=http://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2015/07/29/major-u-s-metropolitan-areas-differ-in-their-religious-profiles |title=Major U.S. metropolitan areas differ in their religious profiles |author=Lipka, Michael |date=July 29, 2015 |publisher=Pew Research Center |access-date=April 8, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180408022548/http://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2015/07/29/major-u-s-metropolitan-areas-differ-in-their-religious-profiles/ |archive-date=April 8, 2018 |url-status=live }}</ref> The same study says area residents who identify with other religions (including [[Judaism]], [[Buddhism]], [[Islam]], and [[Hinduism]]) collectively made up about 7% of the area population.<ref name="pew" />

In 2020, the [[Public Religion Research Institute]] estimated 40% were Protestant and 29% Catholic; overall, Christianity represented 72% of the population.<ref>{{Cite web|title=PRRI – American Values Atlas|url=http://ava.prri.org/#religious/2020/MetroAreas/religion/m/11|access-date=August 11, 2021|website=Public Religion Research Institute|archive-date=February 21, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190221221714/http://ava.prri.org/#religious/2020/MetroAreas/religion/m/11|url-status=dead}}</ref> In 2020, the [[Association of Religion Data Archives]] determined the Catholic Church numbered 1,299,901 for the metropolitan area; the second-largest single Christian denomination ([[Southern Baptists]]) numbered 800,688; following, [[Nondenominational Christianity|non-denominational Protestant churches]] represented the third-largest Christian cohort at 666,548.<ref name=":19">{{Cite web |title=Maps and data files for 2020 |url=https://www.usreligioncensus.org/index.php/node/1639 |access-date=March 4, 2023 |website=U.S. Religion Census}}</ref> Altogether, however, Baptists of the Southern Baptist Convention, the [[American Baptist Association]], [[American Baptist Churches USA]], [[Full Gospel Baptist Church Fellowship]], [[National Baptist Convention, USA, Inc.|National Baptist Convention USA]] and [[National Baptist Convention of America International, Inc.|National Baptist Convention of America]], and the [[National Missionary Baptist Convention of America|National Missionary Baptist Convention]] numbered 926,554. Non-denominational Protestants, the [[Christian Church (Disciples of Christ)|Disciples of Christ]], [[Christian churches and churches of Christ|Christian Churches and Churches of Christ]], and the [[Churches of Christ]] numbered 723,603 altogether according to this study.

[[Lakewood Church]] in Houston, led by Pastor [[Joel Osteen]], is the largest church in the United States. A [[megachurch]], it had 44,800 weekly attendees in 2010, up from 11,000 weekly in 2000.<ref name=":10">{{Cite web |url=https://blog.chron.com/believeitornot/2011/03/megachurches-getting-bigger-lakewood-quadruples-in-size-since-2000/ |title=Megachurches getting bigger; Lakewood quadruples in size since 2000 |first=Kate |last=Shellnutt |date=March 21, 2011 |department=Believe It or Not |language=en-US |work=Houston Chronicle |access-date=February 21, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190221165558/https://blog.chron.com/believeitornot/2011/03/megachurches-getting-bigger-lakewood-quadruples-in-size-since-2000/ |archive-date=February 21, 2019 |url-status=live }}</ref> Since 2005, it has occupied the former Compaq Center sports stadium. In September 2010, ''[[Outreach (magazine)|Outreach]]'' magazine published a list of the 100 largest Christian churches in the United States, and on the list were the following Houston-area churches: Lakewood, [[Second Baptist Church Houston]], Woodlands Church, Church Without Walls, and First Baptist Church.<ref name=":10" /> According to the list, Houston and Dallas were tied as the second-most popular city for megachurches.<ref name=":10" />
[[File:Sacred Heart Co-Cathedral Houston 2018b.jpg|thumb|[[Co-Cathedral of the Sacred Heart (Houston)|Co-Cathedral of the Sacred Heart]]]]
The [[Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Galveston–Houston|Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston]], the largest Catholic jurisdiction in Texas and fifth-largest in the United States, was established in 1847.<ref name=":11">{{Cite web |url=https://www.archgh.org/about/about-us/ |title=Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston statistics |website=Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190501182608/https://www.archgh.org/about/about-us/ |archive-date=May 1, 2019 |url-status=live }}</ref> The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston claimed approximately 1.7 million Catholics within its boundaries as of 2019.<ref name=":11" /> Its [[co-cathedral]] is located within the Houston city limits, while the diocesan see is in Galveston. Other prominent Catholic jurisdictions include the [[Eastern Catholic Churches|Eastern Catholic]] [[Ruthenian Greek Catholic Church]] and [[Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church]] as well as the [[Personal Ordinariate of the Chair of Saint Peter]], [[Cathedral of Our Lady of Walsingham (Houston)|whose cathedral]] is also in Houston.<ref>{{Cite web|date=March 17, 2011|title=Parish Directory Map|url=https://www.archpitt.org/parish-directory-map/|access-date=July 29, 2020|website=Archeparchy of Pittsburgh|language=en-US}}</ref>
[[File:EthiopianchurchHoustoncanemont.JPG|thumb|Debre Selam Medhanealem Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahdo Church]]
A variety of Eastern and Oriental Orthodox churches can be found in Houston. Immigrants from Eastern Europe, the Middle East, Ethiopia, India, and other areas have added to Houston's Eastern and Oriental Orthodox population. As of 2011 in the entire state, 32,000 people actively attended Orthodox churches.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.chron.com/life/houston-belief/article/New-converts-flocking-to-ancient-church-in-Houston-1611237.php |title=New converts flocking to ancient church in Houston |last=Kever |first=Jeannie |date=January 9, 2011 |website=Houston Chronicle |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190221165600/https://www.chron.com/life/houston-belief/article/New-converts-flocking-to-ancient-church-in-Houston-1611237.php |archive-date=February 21, 2019 |url-status=live }}</ref> In 2013 Father John Whiteford, the pastor of St. Jonah Orthodox Church near [[Spring, Texas|Spring]], stated there were about 6,000-9,000 Eastern Orthodox Christians in Houston.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://blog.chron.com/sacredduty/2013/07/orthodox-christians-part-of-diverse-fabric-of-houston-faith/ |title=Orthodox Christians part of diverse fabric of Houston faith |first=Ken |last=Chitwood |date=July 23, 2013 |department=Sacred Duty |work=Houston Chronicle |language=en-US |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190221165539/https://blog.chron.com/sacredduty/2013/07/orthodox-christians-part-of-diverse-fabric-of-houston-faith/ |archive-date=February 21, 2019 |url-status=live }}</ref> The Association of Religion Data Archives numbered 16,526 Eastern and Oriental Orthodox Houstonians in 2020.<ref name=":19" /> The most prominent Eastern and Oriental Orthodox jurisdictions are the [[Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America]],<ref>{{Cite web|title=Parishes - Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America|url=https://www.goarch.org/parishes|access-date=July 29, 2020|website=Goarch.org|language=en-US}}</ref> the [[Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese of North America|Antiochian Orthodox Archdiocese of North America]],<ref>{{Cite web|title=Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese|url=http://ww1.antiochian.org/parishes/statedirectory/Texas|access-date=July 29, 2020|website=1.antiochian.org}}</ref> the [[Coptic Orthodox Church of Alexandria]],<ref>{{Cite news|last=Turner|first=Allan|date=October 12, 2015|title=Coptic pope in Houston on first U.S. visit|url=https://www.houstonchronicle.com/news/houston-texas/houston/article/Coptic-pope-in-Houston-on-first-U-S-visit-6565312.php|access-date=July 29, 2020|newspaper=Houston Chronicle|language=en-US}}</ref> and [[Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church]].<ref>{{Cite web|date=February 15, 2003|title=Ethiopian believers find strength in Orthodox church|url=https://www.chron.com/life/houston-belief/article/Ethiopian-believers-find-strength-in-Orthodox-2101478.php|access-date=July 29, 2020|website=Houston Chronicle}}</ref>

Houston's Jewish community, estimated at 47,000 in 2001, has been present in the city since the 1800s. Houstonian Jews have origins from throughout the United States, Israel, Mexico, Russia, and other places. As of 2016, over 40 synagogues were in Greater Houston.<ref name=":9" /> The largest synagogues are [[Congregation Beth Yeshurun (Houston, Texas)|Congregation Beth Yeshurun]], a [[Conservative Judaism|Conservative Jewish]] temple, and the [[Reform Judaism|Reform Jewish]] congregations [[Congregation Beth Israel (Houston)|Beth Israel]] and Emanu-El. According to a study in 2016 by [[Berman Jewish DataBank]], 51,000 Jews lived in the area, an increase of 4,000 since 2001.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Jewish Data Bank 2016 Houston Study|url=https://www.jewishdatabank.org/databank/search-results/study/820|access-date=October 21, 2020|website=Jewishdatabank.org}}</ref>

Houston has a large and diverse Muslim community; it is the largest in Texas and the Southern United States, as of 2012.<ref name=":12">{{Cite web |url=https://www.chron.com/life/houston-belief/article/U-S-sees-rise-of-Islamic-centers-3392670.php |title=U.S. sees rise of Islamic centers |last=Shellnutt |first=Kate |date=March 8, 2012 |website=Houston Chronicle |access-date=February 21, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190221112212/https://www.chron.com/life/houston-belief/article/U-S-sees-rise-of-Islamic-centers-3392670.php |archive-date=February 21, 2019 |url-status=live }}</ref> It is estimated that Muslims made up 1.2% of Houston's population.<ref name=":12" /> As of 2016, Muslims in the Houston area included [[South Asian ethnic groups|South Asians]], [[Ethnic groups in the Middle East|Middle Easterners]], [[List of ethnic groups of Africa|Africans]], [[Turkic peoples|Turks]], and [[Indonesians]], as well as a growing population of Latino Muslim converts. In 2000 there were over 41 mosques and storefront religious centers, with the largest being the ''Al-Noor'' Mosque (Mosque of Light) of the [[Islamic Society of Greater Houston]].<ref>{{Cite book |url=https://archive.org/details/isbn_9780742503908 |url-access=registration |page=[https://archive.org/details/isbn_9780742503908/page/193 193] |title=Religion and the New Immigrants: Continuities and Adaptations in Immigrant Congregations |last1=Chafetz |first1=Janet Saltzman |last2=Ebaugh |first2=Helen Rose |date=October 18, 2000 |publisher=AltaMira Press |isbn=978-0759117129 |language=en}}</ref>

The Hindu, [[Sikhism|Sikh]], and Buddhist communities form a growing sector of the religious demographic after Judaism and Islam. Large [[Hindu temple]]s in the metropolitan area include the [[BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir Houston]], affiliated with the [[Swaminarayan Sampradaya]] denomination in [[Fort Bend County, Texas|Fort Bend County]], near the suburb of [[Stafford, Texas|Stafford]] as well as the [[South India]]n-[[Dravidian architecture|style]] [[Sri Meenakshi Temple (Pearland, Texas)|Sri Meenakshi Temple]] in suburban [[Pearland, Texas|Pearland]], in [[Brazoria County, Texas|Brazoria County]], which is the oldest Hindu temple in Texas and [[List of Hindu temples in the United States|third-oldest Hindu temple]] in the United States.<ref>{{cite web|url = https://www.visithoustontexas.com/listings/sri-meenakshi-temple-society/20860/|website = Visit Houston|title = Sri Meenakshi Temple Society|access-date = July 1, 2022|archive-date = December 11, 2021|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20211211033519/https://www.visithoustontexas.com/listings/sri-meenakshi-temple-society/20860/|url-status = live}}</ref><ref name="auto">{{cite web|url = https://www.mydigitalpublication.com/publication/?m=31124&i=514388&p=2&ver=html5|title = Sri Meenakshi Temple Self-Guided Tour|access-date = July 1, 2022|archive-date = July 1, 2022|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20220701200930/https://www.mydigitalpublication.com/publication/?m=31124&i=514388&p=2&ver=html5|url-status = live}}</ref><ref name="auto2">{{cite web|url = https://menonlifetimethoughts.com/2020/12/19/sri-meenakshi-temple-pearland-the-40-year-history/|website = Menon Lifetime Thoughts|title = Sri Meenakshi Temple, Pearland – The 40-year History.| date=December 19, 2020 |access-date = July 1, 2022|archive-date = March 2, 2021|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20210302075439/https://menonlifetimethoughts.com/2020/12/19/sri-meenakshi-temple-pearland-the-40-year-history/|url-status = live}}</ref>

Of the irreligious community 16% practiced nothing in particular, 3% were [[Agnosticism|agnostic]], and 2% were [[Atheism|atheist]] in 2014.<ref name=":17">{{Cite web|title=Religion in America: U.S. Religious Data, Demographics and Statistics|url=https://www.pewforum.org/religious-landscape-study/|access-date=July 29, 2020|website=Pew Research Center's Religion & Public Life Project|language=en-US}}</ref>