The Center for Cultural Studies at Arizona Christian University asked seven questions about human nature, such as the value of life, the human condition, and the purpose of life, and seven questions about the supernatural, such as the nature of God, the holiness of Christ, and the existence of the Holy Spirit and Satan. In only two were majorities supporting the Biblical view.
Five key findings:
-Only 30% of adults hold the Biblical view that people are born in sin and can only be saved through Jesus Christ. Among Catholics, that number drops to 24%.
• A majority of Americans (52%) think abortion is morally acceptable. Only one in three adults (33%) describe themselves as devoutly pro-life.
• Only half (50%) of U.S. adults believe that God is the all-powerful, all-knowing Creator of the universe and controls it today, down from a clear majority at the beginning of the millennium.
• One in four adults strongly agree that Jesus Christ sinned while on earth. Among notional Christians, who make up about half of all members of the church, more people strongly agreed than strongly disagreed that Jesus sinned.
• Nine out of 10 American adults hold syncretism (the amalgamation of disparate ideologies, beliefs, behaviors, and principles drawn from competing worldviews into a customized blend) rather than Biblical theism as their primary worldview.
Dr. George Barna, director of research at the Center for Cultural Studies, said the findings point to a deeper turmoil within the American church.
“American Christianity is increasingly based on emotion, rather than on Biblical truth and knowledge. Even in national surveys, surprisingly few adults qualify for discipleship as defined by the Bible. This is related to the small number of adults who have established knowing and imitating Christ as their primary goal in life,” Barna said.
