A new study shows that only six percent of Americans adhere to a biblical worldview.
The American Worldview Inventory 2020 survey is a premier study of an annual report conducted by veteran researcher George Barna of the newly launched Cultural Research Center at Arizona Christian University (ACU).
“The survey asked 51 worldview questions that examined both what people believe and how they conduct their lives”, The Christian Post reports.
The survey found that approximately one-fifth of congregants in evangelical Protestant churches hold fast to a biblical worldview (21 percent), whereas only one-sixth of those who attend charismatic or Pentecostal churches (16 percent) adhere to a biblical worldview.
Additionally, the numbers throughout mainline Protestant churches (8 percent), and Catholics (1 percent) were even lower.
Defined in part by “their acceptance of scriptural exhortations regarding sin, grace, and salvation,” the survey found that born again Christians were three times more likely (19 percent) to have a biblical worldview than the average.
Nonetheless, the report asserts that this with less than one-fifth of born-again adults holding a biblical worldview, it suggests that there has been an “extensive decline of core Christian principles in America over the last several decades.”
Notional Christians, the largest segment of people who profess Christ but lack a personal relationship, “comprise about 54 percent of the U.S. population.” On the other hand, just one-tenth or 1 percent of notional Christians hold fast to a biblical worldview.
Barna notes the decrease in adults holding a biblical worldview from 12 percent a quarter-century ago to the present time, just 6 percent, is “the lowest yet.”
He added how one’s beliefs are integrated into one’s life as it reflects those beliefs.
“As a result, our worldview research always balances examining both what we believe to be true with how we translate such beliefs into action."
“The societal shift toward non-Christian worldviews like postmodernism, Marxism, secular humanism, and modern mysticism is most clearly reflected in values,” the report continues.
Alluding to prior research, Barna elaborates that, “the dominant values in the United States today are acceptance, comfort, control, entertainment, entitlement, experiences, expression, freedom, and happiness.”
The current values ultimately demonstrate a shift in the moral landscape “from previous eras in which a more widely accepted biblical worldview yielded civic duty, hard work, humility, faith, family, moderation and the rule of law.”
“Unless America experiences a steady increase in people reflecting a biblical worldview in their lives, America’s future is more likely to resemble that of nations characterized by moral and behavioral chaos,” cautioned Tracy Munsil, CCU executive director and an associate professor of political science at Arizona Christian University.
“Alternative perspectives such as postmodern, Marxism, and secular humanism drive
American thinking and lifestyles these days.” she added.
“What we experience in our nation today will not change until we replace the cause of the prevalent thinking and behavior. The cause is our worldview.”
About 2000 U.S adults partook in the worldview survey in January through 1,000 telephone interviews and 1,000 online questionnaires.
Earlier this month, the Cultural Research Center at ACU postponed its formal launch due to the COVID-19 outbreak.
Photo courtesy: Priscilla du Preez/Unsplash
Milton Quintanilla is a freelance writer and content creator. He is a contributing writer for CrosswalkHeadlines and the host of the For Your Soul Podcast, a podcast devoted to sound doctrine and biblical truth. He holds a Masters of Divinity from Alliance Theological Seminary.
