Who Trust Their Clergy More: Protestants or Catholics

Most church attendees trust their clergy and say they have a close relationship with them, but some Christian traditions are more likely than others.

A recent Pew Research survey found among those who attend religious services at least a few times a year, Protestants have a better relationship with and are more accepting of advice from their pastors than Catholics and their priests.

Among those at least occasional church attendees, Catholics 61% say they have at least somewhat of a close relationship, while just 8% saying they have a very close relationship.

Almost 2 in 5 (39%) say they don’t have a close relationship.

Among Protestants, 78% say they have at least somewhat of a close relationship with their local clergy, including 25% who say they have a very close relationship.

For 22% of Protestants the relationship is not close at all.

Within Protestantism, evangelicals and historically black Protestants have closer relationships on average with their clergy than mainline Protestants.

Four in 5 black Protestants (81%) and evangelicals (80%) say they have at least a somewhat close relationship with their pastor, compared to 71% of those at mainline churches. Read More