Americans who attend church or religious services every week are 39% more likely to get married.
Posted by The Dan Bongino Show, Checked
- Sources
- 2 contradict2 support1 context
- Said
- 1 time·
- Confidence
- 45%
The Dan Bongino ShowOct 16, 2026
The direction is well supported: several sources find weekly or frequent churchgoers more likely to be married. The specific 39% figure traces only to one unrated Institute for Family Studies report (via Christian Today), which defines churchgoing as frequent attendance (several times a month or more) rather than every week, and its own denominational ratios differ from 39%.
A detail. The sources confirm the gist; the verdict faults a detail such as a date, number or wording.
A played clip makes this claim. Listeners heard it, so it counts against the post.
This claim is about the present, so it is judged as of the day it was checked.
What we found
Contradicts. The 39% figure is for 'frequent churchgoing' (several times a month or more) in the IFS definition, not for weekly attendance as the claim states, and the report's own denominational comparisons (for example 66% vs 41% marriage rates for Protestants) imply different ratios, so the specific figure depends on the measure used.[2][3]
Supports. The IFS report 'The Devout Difference' (published 2026-09-25, before the post) states that churchgoers are 39% more likely to be married today.[2]
Supports. Christian Today's coverage of the IFS report repeats that regular churchgoers are more likely than less religious Americans to marry, based on GSS data and a 2026 YouGov survey.[3]
Supports. Older research (Probe, 2026 compilation; Wilcox-based coverage) consistently links weekly religious attendance with marriage and marital stability, supporting the direction of the claim.[4][5]
Context. The Factcheck.org (2026) piece on religious attendance trends shows weekly attendance fell to 31% in 2025, which is context for how common the weekly group is but does not address marriage.[1]
Sources
5 sources: 1 fact-checker, 4 not rated
- 1No Clear Evidence Religion Is 'Bigger and Stronger' in U.S., Despite ...factcheck.org · fact-checker · cited for: context
- 2The Devout Difference: Religion, Marital Quality, and Sex ...ifstudies.org · not rated · cited for: contradicts, supports
- 3Active faith linked to happier marriages and lower divorce ...christiantoday.com · not rated · cited for: contradicts, supports
- 4[PDF] Church, Marriage and Familyprobe.org · not rated · cited for: supports
- 5Religious couples happier in marriage, less likely to divorce, study ...thealabamabaptist.org · not rated · cited for: supports
Where this claim was made
Said in 1 published post