(RNS) — Though majorities in both groups support abortion being legal, a new survey by the Public Religion Research Institute found that both white Catholics and white mainline/nonevangelical Protestants have demonstrated a small swing toward an anti-abortion position since 2024.  In a survey conducted throughout much of 2025 and released Thursday (April 23), 57% of white Catholics said abortion should be legal in all or most cases, down from 62% in 2024. Similarly, 65% of white mainline/nonevangelical Protestants said abortion should be legal in all or most cases, down from 69% in 2024. Both changes were statistically significant; however, PRRI-affiliated scholars say it’s too early to tell if the shift is an enduring trend. Kristin Kobes Du Mez, a PRRI senior democracy fellow and history professor at Calvin University in Grand Rapids, Michigan, said several theories could explain the shift. “One theory would be consistent with the argument that changing legislation can change values,” Kobes Du Mez said, as the shift is driven by Republicans, and Republican states have seen abortion laws change post-Roe. But …