More Than Half Of Americans Believe The Bible Is Inaccurate

[Tinky]

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.

 

 

Full Article: http://www.worldviewweekend.com/news/article/more-half-americans-believe-bible-inaccurate

 

 

The Survey: http://www.ligonier.org/thestateoftheology/

[OneLight]

Those who stand for sin and against scripture are not true Christians, only Christian by name. His church is still solid in their beliefs and are not swaying like grass in the wind.

[Guest shiloh357]

Wow  Tinky, I believe that. 

 

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.

 

 

[Tinky]

I think it explains why so much theology today is simply wacky.

[Guest]

No official survey or study, but I am betting if I had a way to know, that less than 5% of Americans live as though they believe the bible it accurate, maybe less than 1%.

 

Then again I imagine that maybe 5 to 10% of pew sitters, are actually believers. Narrow is the way, and few are they that find it. I sure hope I am wrong.

[OneLight]

Matthew 7:13-14

Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it.

[alien224]

No wonder our country is in the shape its in.

[Guest]

Most Christians live lives that are indistinguishable from the secular world. They want Scripture to say what they want it to say or that most of it is not applicable to today. Most do not know anything about the end-times or they don't believe that we are in the "birth pangs" of it. Then we have all the atheists, agnostics, satanists, buddists, and muslims. It is no surprise that Americans don't ascribe to the inerrancy of Scripture.

[alphaparticle]

It depends on what you set the threshold for deciding that so and so believes the Bible is accurate also. I realize the survey asks specific questions that way, but I suppose I mean more in terms of judgments made here. According to some I won't believe the Bible is accurate, if for no other reason than my belief in evolution, though I would dispute that judgment and question its overall meaningfulness anyway. Such a thing doesn't give an accurate indication of the role the Bible plays in my life at all. Given that, I am wary of painting with a broad stroke based on a couple of questions like that and assuming that people either agree down the line with x, y and z, or they just don't take it seriously at all.

[Littlelambseativy]

Yes, I am sure that many think that if Jesus lived today He would see that things have changed and He would not make the statements and requirements of us He did but He would change. The thing is that Gid does NOT change. He is the same yesterday today and forever....man changes and as we are seeing is becoming more worldly and more wicked. Thinking of himself only and needing no God because he himself is all sufficient. True Christians believe the Bible and come to their belief as a little child. I would rather believe the whole Word of God and be thought a fool than think myself wise and dissect and throw out of the Bible the things I think foolish and find in the end I threw out my salvation and my Lord. The time is so short and we can see the sifting of the Bride. Christians hold firmly to the faith of our fathers.