Behaviors Americans say are morally acceptable
Percent of Americans who say each is morally acceptable, 2025 (in percent)
Key finding
Highest: Divorce (75%). Lowest: Polygamy (21%).
- Divorce: 75%
- Sex between an unmarried man and woman: 68%
- Having a baby outside of marriage: 67%
Source: Lifeway Research, 12 Ministry Trends for 2026 · Article published 2026-01-15.
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Questions about this statistic
What does this statistic show?
Highest: Divorce (75%). Lowest: Polygamy (21%). Divorce: 75%. Sex between an unmarried man and woman: 68%. Having a baby outside of marriage: 67%.
Who published this data?
Lifeway Research, 2025. Source: Lifeway Research, 12 Ministry Trends for 2026 (https://research.lifeway.com/2026/01/15/12-ministry-trends-for-2026/).
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About this data
Leader Insights collects statistics about U.S. churches from published research by organizations such as Lifeway Research, Barna Group, Springtide, the American Bible Society and PRRI. Every number is checked against the wording of the original source before it is published, and each statistic links back to the study it came from. Figures are reproduced from the publishers named above; see the source for full methodology.