Non-Catholics less likely to believe Columbus discovered America

Catholics are more likely to credit Christopher Columbus with discovering America than are other U. S. citizens. Peter Smith of the Louisville Courier-Journal reports:

Eighty-seven percent of Roman Catholics credit Christopher Columbus with discovering America, according to a 2010 survey. But while majorities in other religious categories agree, it’s by smaller margins, especially among people of non-Christian religions and no religion.

Columbus, of course, was Catholic, and he even has a well-known Knights fraternity named for him. Maybe that helps with name recognition.

Have a look at the graph, too.

Posted by Jim Naughton on October 8, 2012 4:40 PM | |
Comments (2)

In answer to the journalist's own question: is there no end to questions that people will slice along religious lines? My thought: this is too complex a question that touches on history, culture, ethnicity, and regional variation to so casually chuck Roman Catholics under the bus, even if it is popular to do so.

Posted by Chris Arnold [TypeKey Profile Page] | October 8, 2012 7:19 PM

Chris, I suspect that the good Catholic folks at CARA might take issue with your characterization of their actions.

Posted by Jim Naughton [TypeKey Profile Page] | October 8, 2012 8:25 PM

Add your comments

(If you haven't left a comment here before, you may need to be approved by the site owner before your comment will appear. Until then, it won't appear on the entry. Thanks for waiting.)

Reminder: At Episcopal Café, we hope to establish an ethic of transparency by requiring all contributors and commentators to make submissions under their real names. For more details see our Feedback Policy.

Advertising Space