The religious landscape of the United States has undergone significant changes since the start of the millennium. A recent survey conducted by the Cultural Research Center at Arizona Christian University reveals a shift in beliefs among Americans regarding fundamental aspects of humanity and the supernatural.
The survey posed seven questions about humanity, covering topics such as the value of human life, the human condition, and life’s purpose. Additionally, seven questions were asked about the supernatural, including the nature of God, the holiness of Christ, and the existence of the Holy Spirit and Satan. The results indicate that a majority of respondents hold the biblical view on only two of these questions.
Key Findings on Humanity and the Supernatural
The survey uncovered several notable findings regarding Americans’ beliefs about humanity and the supernatural.
Beliefs About Humanity and Salvation
Only 30% of adults surveyed hold the biblical view that people are born into sin and can only be saved by Jesus Christ. This figure drops to 24% among Catholics. The survey also found that 52% of Americans consider abortion morally acceptable, while only 33% describe themselves as passionately pro-life.
Views on God and Jesus Christ
The survey revealed that only 50% of U.S. adults believe God is the all-powerful, all-knowing Creator of the universe who rules it today. This is a decrease from a clear majority at the start of the millennium. Additionally, one in four adults strongly agrees that Jesus Christ sinned while on Earth. Among Notional Christiansroughly half of all churchgoers, more strongly agreed He sinned than strongly disagreed.
The Prevalence of Syncretism
The survey found that nine out of 10 American adults hold Syncretisma fusion of disparate ideologies and beliefs, as their dominant worldview, rather than Biblical Theism.
Expert Insights on the Findings
Dr. George Barna, Director of Research at the Cultural Research Center, provided insights into the survey results. He noted that the findings point to a deeper confusion within the American church.
“Increasingly, American Christianity is based on feelings rather than biblical truth or knowledge“, Barna stated. He emphasized that stunningly few adults in national survey after national survey qualify as biblically-defined disciples. This, he explained, relates to the small percentage of adults who have established knowing and imitating Christ as their chief goal in life.
