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More than half of Americans believe the Bible is inaccurate

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Kathi

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http://www.worldviewweekend.com/news/article/more-half-americans-believe-bible-inaccurate
When Christians see alarming numbers of Americans openly—even enthusiastically—embracing completely anti-biblical teachings such as abortion, homosexual behavior, and evolution, they wonder how our culture (and the church) has gotten so far from its biblical foundation. Well, the results of a recent survey from Ligonier Ministries suggest that current trends in thinking shouldn’t really surprise us based on popular American theology.

This survey sampled 3,000 Americans from across the country, from many different backgrounds, in an attempt “to take the temperature of America’s theological health, compare it to that of self-identified Christians, and index it over time in order to better equip the church to faithfully preach and teach the whole counsel of God.”

According to the survey, the majority of Americans (53%) don’t believe that heaven and hell are real places and almost half think that there are many different ways to heaven. Also, less than half of the participants believe that God authored the Bible and over half (57%) don’t think the Bible is always accurate. Consequently, only half of Americans (49%) think the Bible has authority in our lives. Sadly, while half of the population (51%) may think that the Bible is authoritative, many of these people don’t base their thinking in all areas on God’s Word as nearly half (45%) are said to believe that the Bible was written for each person to interpret as they chose.

Already Gone
 
I'm on my way to a Christmas party, but before I leave, I have to say that, in some instances, many of those thoughts are quite true.
 
The following statistics come Dr. Paul Elliot, the Barna Research Group, Bible Literacy Center, and Journal for the Scientific Study of Religion.

  • 37% of adults in Evangelical churches do not believe the Bible is totally accurate
  • 45% of Evangelicals do not believe Jesus Christ was sinless
  • 52% of Evangelicals do not believe Satan is real
  • 57% of Evangelicals do not believe that Jesus is the only way to eternal life
  • 57% of Evangelicals believe that good works play a part in gaining eternal life
  • Less than 10% of adults in Evangelical churches cite the Bible as the primary basis of their worldview and behavior.
  • 19% of those who are living with a partner outside of marriage are members of Evangelical churches.
  • Over 50% of adults in Evangelical churches think other religions are valid.
  • Nearly 75% of Evangelical young people leave the church when they reach adulthood. Their main stated reason is that they no longer believe the Bible is true, and the church has done little or nothing to answer their doubts.
  • The fastest growing "religious group" in America is the "no religion" category. Today it represents 16% of the adult population - a 300% increase since the 1980s. The major growth of the "no religion" segment is among young adults ages 18 to 29 - the ones who are leaving churches in droves.
  • Despite the mega-church movement, overall Evangelical church attendance is down nearly 15% since the 1990s. Fewer than 17% of Evangelical churches are growing today, and only 2.2% are growing through conversions.


In a series of articles about the state of 21st Century Evangelicalism, Dr. Paul Elliott of Teaching the Word Ministries quoted from a survey reported in Christianity Today. The survey was based upon work done by the Barna Research Group. Dr. Elliott’s article points out the following responses from young people in Evangelical churches:

  • 80% could not place Adam, Abraham, Moses, David and Solomon in chronological order.
  • 85% could not place the major events of the earthly life of Jesus in chronological order.
  • 80% did not know to look in the book of Acts for the account of Paul’s missionary journeys.
  • 40% did not know where to find the Ten Commandments.
  • 67% did not know where to find the Sermon on the Mount.
 
Kathi said:
The following statistics come Dr. Paul Elliot, the Barna Research Group, Bible Literacy Center, and Journal for the Scientific Study of Religion.

  • 37% of adults in Evangelical churches do not believe the Bible is totally accurate
  • 45% of Evangelicals do not believe Jesus Christ was sinless
  • 52% of Evangelicals do not believe Satan is real
  • 57% of Evangelicals do not believe that Jesus is the only way to eternal life
  • 57% of Evangelicals believe that good works play a part in gaining eternal life
  • Less than 10% of adults in Evangelical churches cite the Bible as the primary basis of their worldview and behavior.
  • 19% of those who are living with a partner outside of marriage are members of Evangelical churches.
  • Over 50% of adults in Evangelical churches think other religions are valid.
  • Nearly 75% of Evangelical young people leave the church when they reach adulthood. Their main stated reason is that they no longer believe the Bible is true, and the church has done little or nothing to answer their doubts.
  • The fastest growing "religious group" in America is the "no religion" category. Today it represents 16% of the adult population - a 300% increase since the 1980s. The major growth of the "no religion" segment is among young adults ages 18 to 29 - the ones who are leaving churches in droves.
  • Despite the mega-church movement, overall Evangelical church attendance is down nearly 15% since the 1990s. Fewer than 17% of Evangelical churches are growing today, and only 2.2% are growing through conversions.


In a series of articles about the state of 21st Century Evangelicalism, Dr. Paul Elliott of Teaching the Word Ministries quoted from a survey reported in Christianity Today. The survey was based upon work done by the Barna Research Group. Dr. Elliott’s article points out the following responses from young people in Evangelical churches:

  • 80% could not place Adam, Abraham, Moses, David and Solomon in chronological order.
  • 85% could not place the major events of the earthly life of Jesus in chronological order.
  • 80% did not know to look in the book of Acts for the account of Paul’s missionary journeys.
  • 40% did not know where to find the Ten Commandments.
  • 67% did not know where to find the Sermon on the Mount.
Click to expand...
with that last part mostly about torah, I wonder what this would be from the jews. they must recite in Hebrew the entire torah.I don't know if its by memory or from the scrolls. since I think they carry them and have them as they recite its likely to read from it.
 
ugh. I read elsewhere on the Barna website that something like 9% of US people have a Biblical worldview. That's frightening, given how our society is going. More women than men. I think income demographics played a role, too.

Anyway...

outlook not so good for our culture :-( And for the churches, too. The statistics Kathi posted are disturbing, especially since they mostly deal with people inside the church.
 
I think its an ongoing process....

...personally, I have to pray that God will help me accept Him on His terms. I guess what frightens me is how post-Christian the whole culture is, and how that's apparently gotten into the church. :-(
 
There's another thread going on this, kinda sorta...its on the exclusivity of Christ. Before I got saved, that one was hard for me. I mean, we have so many options, including a growing number of agnostics and atheists, so...

...yeah. I can see where a lot of the people in the church are coming from, but I don't quite understand how this could happen...inside the church.
 
Christ_empowered said:
I think its an ongoing process....

...personally, I have to pray that God will help me accept Him on His terms. I guess what frightens me is how post-Christian the whole culture is, and how that's apparently gotten into the church. :-(
Click to expand...

What do you believe those terms of His to be?
 
Well, when I was praying one day, I realized that I project things on to God. I see Him, at some level, as vindictive, like an angry pagan deity, or as a warm and fuzzy deity. Neither are true, of course.

Also, personally, I've been scared of the Old Testament. I still don't know how to reconcile it with the New Testament, honestly. I'm getting there.
 
Christ_empowered said:
Well, when I was praying one day, I realized that I project things on to God. I see Him, at some level, as vindictive, like an angry pagan deity, or as a warm and fuzzy deity. Neither are true, of course.

Also, personally, I've been scared of the Old Testament. I still don't know how to reconcile it with the New Testament, honestly. I'm getting there.
Click to expand...
why? its beautiful but you have got to dig to find the nuggets. a taste..

the jews teach peshac that is the rebirth of isreal in Egypt. jesus tells nicodemus thou art a Pharisee and don't know these things in john 3.
 
Christ_empowered said:
Well, when I was praying one day, I realized that I project things on to God. I see Him, at some level, as vindictive, like an angry pagan deity, or as a warm and fuzzy deity. Neither are true, of course.

Also, personally, I've been scared of the Old Testament. I still don't know how to reconcile it with the New Testament, honestly. I'm getting there.
Click to expand...

It may very well seem to be a cliche, but I tell you of a truth, the only terms that God has required of you is to Believe in His Son, and trust in the Words of Christ and his of His work and witness. But I don't just mean believing in the words of the Bible, but actually stepping out in Faith and exercising that belief. The Spirit of the Lord rests within your heart, Faith will come when you start listening to Him.

There is no reason to fear the Old Testament. It has plenty to say about the workings of Christ and the promises of God. Study it to learn of of Him.
I would suggest to you to read Deuteronomy 18:15-19. Then compare that with Acts 3:19-24 as well as Acts 7:37-39.

Listen for the Spirit of Christ within your heart, and give all of your trust to the Grace of God. There, the Lord shall teach you in the way.

May you be blessed with the faith that comes from Christ.
 
Christ_empowered said:
Well, when I was praying one day, I realized that I project things on to God. I see Him, at some level, as vindictive, like an angry pagan deity, or as a warm and fuzzy deity. Neither are true, of course.
Click to expand...

You are well on your way CE, you are hearing to the Spirit of Christ from within your heart, and the first step to begin listening is your own the self-awareness. You may have learned from the Bible that you should not project things onto God. That is not a bad thing. But I ask you this to consider for yourself: Did the words of the Bible cause you to have this realization, or did the thought stir by the Word of God living in your heart?
 
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