Religion

Religion is a topic sometimes referred to in the Grand Theft Auto series, whether it be through the words of characters and radio, or through objects in the games' environments. These references are listed in this article.

Christianity, Atheism, Judaism, Islam, Epsilonism, Buddhism, Altruism and Children of the Mountain exist in the universes of the game.

2D Universe

Grand Theft Auto 2

In GTA 2, the only way to save the game is by using the Jesus Saves church. They are identified by a neon sign with the name written on it, but every few seconds the J, E, and both S's in JESUS flicker off, causing the sign to read "U SAVE".

3D Universe

Grand Theft Auto III

• In Bedford Point there is a Catholic Church, the Liberty City Cathedral.

Grand Theft Auto: Vice City

• Pastor Richards reveals on Pressing Issues that he promises salvation to people who give him money, a parody of the "prosperity gospel" televangelists of the 1980s such as Jimmy Swaggart and Jim Bakker.
• There is the Église Baptiste De La Régénération in Little Haiti.
• A Jewish Synagogue is located in Ocean Beach. Another Church is located at Hoarmount Avenue, Downtown.

Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas

Religion is occasionally heard of in San Andreas in 1992, most notably the Epsilon Program.

• There are 3 non-interactive main churchs in each city:
  • Los Santos Church in Jefferson, Los Santos;
  • Ocean Flats Cathedral in Ocean Flats, San Fierro.
  • Blackfield Chapel in the south section of the Julius Thruway in Las Venturas.
• The is the Iglesia Pentecostes in Las Colinas, Los Santos, along with several other unnamed churches and chapels found in Calton Heights, Roca Escalante, Angel Pine, Las Brujas, Las Barrancas and Rockshore East.
• There is a business in Palomino Creek called Park 'n' Pray Drive Thru Confessions.
• There is an Erotic Wedding Chapel in Roca Escalante, Las Venturas.
• Lazlow interviews Epsilon Program leader Cris Formage on an Entertaining America show. Epsilonism is a parody of the Church of Scientology.
• It is possible that the protagonist Carl Johnson is a Christian. In the mission First Date, Carl tells Catalina he's a "God fearing man". Like Franklin Clinton, Carl can purchase several religious tattoos, most notably a Virgin Mary tattoo and a cross.
• Billy Dexter, former Entertaining America host, says "Kifflom!", hinting he is an Epsilon follower.
• Katie Zhan, one of CJ's possible girlfriends, says that she doesn't like the Epsilon cult and refers to its followers as "nut jobs".
• Maccer and Jezz Torrent both claim that Epsilon helped them with their drug problems.
• Darius Fontaine hates religion.
• A male caller on I Say/You Say claims to be an Atheist, but loves the Bible. He prefers the name "Mary" over his own name because of the name's prominence in the Bible.
• Preachers can be seen as minor characters in the missions Los Desperados, Interdiction and Madd Dogg, and one appears as a murder target in the mission Jizzy. The priests in Interdiction and Jizzy appear to be corrupt, however, as they are both seen with prostitutes.

Grand Theft Auto: Liberty City Stories

• As it is set in Liberty City, the Cathedral is in Bedford Point in 1998.
• Toni Cipriani confesses sins to a 'priest' at the Bedford Point Cathedral (hinting that he's a Catholic). The priest turns out to be Ned Burner, a Liberty Tree reporter impersonating the priest who tells Toni to perform crimes, then reports on them with the full story.
• What is a Punk Noodles factory in 2001 is the Holy rev. Joe's Flophouse. It is unknown who Reverend Joe is.
• Donald Love is found performing traditional Buddhist meditation ("I'm just seeking spiritual enlightenment, if you must ask but, not today") in the cutscene of the mission Love on the Run.
• On Chatterbox on LCFR, a caller tells Lazlow that he is campaigning to replace the Liberty Cathedral's garden with "a post-modern square building with Internet terminals and foosball tables to worship at". Lazlow disagrees with the caller, saying "come on, the church garden is beautiful!". By 2001, the church's main graveyard has been replaced by a large square concrete building, hinting that the plan was approved.

HD Universe

Grand Theft Auto IV

There are churches throughout Grand Theft Auto IV's rendition of Liberty City, as well as some characters making comments about religion:

• There is a church in Leftwood, Alderney.
• The Columbus Cathedral is a Catholic Church located in Hatton Gardens, Algonquin.
• There is a church in Suffolk, Algonquin. Depending on the player's choice, one of the McReary brothers' funerals (either Francis or Derrick) is held here, as well as Roman and Mallorie's wedding.
• Orthodox Jewish pedestrians are often seen in Broker. In real life, New York City has the highest number of Jewish citizens of any metropolitan area outside Israel, and Brooklyn's Borough Park is famous as an enclave of the Orthodox Jewish community.
• Mori Green and Isaac Roth are likely Orthodox Jews.
• Ilyena Faustin is very religious (likely a Russian Orthodox Christian). In No Love Lost, Mikhail berates her by saying "You superstitious old crone, I'll see you in hell! Someday I'll crucify you!". Soon after, in Rigged To Blow, she discusses souls with Niko and encourages him to have more faith and optimism.
• Bryce Dawkins is a parody of a conservative Christian "culture warrior" of the sort who were influential in American politics during the Bush administration. His sex scandal in particular is based on anti-gay, conservative Christian politicians such as Larry Craig, Bob Allen, and Richard Curtis, who were later outed as homosexuals themselves.
• The McRearys are an Irish Catholic family. Francis studied to be a priest before going into law enforcement, and Packie says he literally "tried to cheat God" by cheating on his exams and pocketing money from the church collection plate. Packie feels a sense of Catholic Guilt over his criminal lifestyle, a concept he discusses by name during one of his friendship outings with Niko. Maureen and Kate live far more religious lifestyles, and Niko will always be unable to sleep with Kate after a date because she practices chastity.

The Lost and Damned

• In Clean and Serene, Billy Grey mentions Johnny Klebitz's Jewish heritage. However, Johnny tells Billy that he has "given up" with faith.

Grand Theft Auto V and Grand Theft Auto Online

• Cris Formage and Epsilonism are featured throughout the game. Michael has the opportunity to join the Epsilon cult in the game, though he expresses doubt and skepticism throughout his initiation. In Unknowing the Truth, Michael has the opportunity to remain loyal or betray Cris. In GTA Online, after the GTA Online Protagonist's first death, Cris comes down from the sky to tell the player about how he is a miracle and what powers he have, also introducing the player to Passive Mode and reviving them shortly after giving his holy speech.
• Franklin Clinton is likely a Christian, or at the very least has studied the Bible at some point in his life. He immediately recognized the verse that Michael sarcastically used, after pulling down the house in "Marriage Counseling," as coming from the book of Matthew. He is also described as believing in a "white man's God." Another possible reference to Franklin's religious standing is his ability to purchase a torso tattoo quoting a biblical manuscript from 2 Corinthians 12:9 which reads: "...My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Pre-release artwork of Franklin shows him with a praying hands tattoo in his neck, further supporting this theory.
• Hasidic Jewish pedestrians can be found around Downtown Los Santos.
• A religious organization known as "Children of the Mountain" exists in GTA V, and it is based within a building on Forum Drive. Its beliefs are largely unknown, however it is hinted that it is a cult, similar to Epsilonism.
• The Hill Valley Church, has two branches; one can be found in Pacific Bluffs, and the other in Great Chaparral.
• The St. Brigid Baptist Church can be found in Paleto Bay.
• There is a Catholic church in Little Seoul, known as the Little Seoul Church.
• There is a Catholic church in Rockford Hills near Michael's mansion, known as the Rockford Hills Church.
• There is a church in Rancho, known as the Rancho Church.
• The Ludendorff Church, a Catholic church, is located in Ludendorff, North Yankton. 
• The Atheist Society Serving Mankind Under Noteworthy Coordinated Humanism, led by Dale Jenkins, is a parody of the militant "New Atheism" movement, with Jenkins based on Richard Dawkins, a British biologist and advocate of atheism.
• The Altruist Cult is a fringe cult living in a compound in the Chiliad Mountain State Wilderness. Trevor Philips could abduct unwitting hitchhikers to send them to the Altruists in exchange for cash, until the Altruists decide to take Trevor himself. After an intense shootout at the Altruists' compound, Trevor kills them all and is given the opportunity to loot them for additional cash and weapons.