washington u.s. congress take office tuesday remain almost overwhelmingly christian 1960s even share american adults call christians drop accord pew research center analysis report nonpartisan group say 91 percent lawmakers republican-dominated 115th congress describe christians slightly 95 percent 87th congress 1961 1962 early years comparable data contrast portion american adults call christian fell 71 percent 2014 pew report say pew number early 1960s gallup survey time find 93 percent americans describe christian interest thing little congress change past several decades especially comparison general public aleksandra sandstrom report lead author say telephone interview big gap congress americans among say religion one lawmaker democratic representative kyrsten sinema arizona call religiously unaffiliated pew survey find 23 percent americans describe way percentage americans religion grow portion voters say exit poll religion low share general public say greg smith pew expert u.s. religious landscape political power group might lag growth overall population say among 293 republicans elect new congress two identify christians two jewish republicans lee zeldin new york david kustoff tennessee serve house 242 democrats congress 80 percent christian side aisle include 28 jews three buddhists three hindus two muslims one unitarian universalist share protestants congress drop 56 percent today 75 percent 1961 portion catholics congress rise 31 percent 19 percent u.s. population 2014 46.5 percent protestant 21 percent catholic pew survey show survey base data gather cq roll call questionnaires phone call members congress candidates offices congress remain overwhelmingly christian u.s. shift -survey