Multiple classification analysis (MCA) of census data on Shewa province in Ethiopia revealed differences in fertility by religious affiliation. Muslims had lower fertility than a combination of Catholics, Protestants, or Orthodox Christians in rural Shewa and total Shewa. This finding was not supported by prior studies. The explanation for the different results may be in the influences of socioeconomic or demographic factors. In this study, the fertility differences by religious group were small, and religion had low beta values for all Shewa, rural, and urban areas. Analysis that accommodates socioeconomic differences and other important predictor factors might show greater convergence among religious groups. Shewa is centrally located and includes the capital city of Addis Ababa. In 1984, about 20% of the total Ethiopian population resided in Shewa. The crude birth rate in 1984 was 45/1000 population, and the total fertility rate was 7.7 children per woman. The region is comprised of 30 ethnic groups: about 23.4% are Muslims and about 75% are Christian groups (Protestants, Orthodox Christians, and Catholics). Data were obtained from the 5% sample of women aged 15-49 years of the Population and Housing Census for 1984. Fertility was measured as surviving children ever born. The sample included about 62% Orthodox Christians, 30% Protestants, 6% Catholics, and 2% Muslims, and only seven ethnic groups. ANOVA methods were used to examine the interaction effects between variables. Urban Muslim women were found to have higher urban fertility. Lower fertility was found among women engaged in the labor force and with increased education for all religious groups. Protestants in the adjusted MCA had the highest fertility for all women and among rural women. Orthodox Christians had the lowest fertility. The MCA model accounted for more than 33% of the variance in fertility in total Shewa and in urban and rural areas.