A highly respected US research team has delivered a shocking report on the state of Christianity among Americans.
It found that while more than half of “theologically identified born-again Christians” strongly reject abortion as morally acceptable, less than half believe in the sanctity of human life.
This is according to the latest instalment of the American Worldview Inventory 2026 survey conducted by the Cultural Research Center at Arizona Christian University.
The Christian Post reports researchers defined the ‘sanctity of life’ as the moral and religious belief that all human life is inherently sacred, holy, and possesses an immeasurable worth.
“Theologically identified born-again Christians” is a term that refers to those who believe they will go to Heaven when they die because they have confessed their sins and accepted Jesus Christ as their Saviour.
But according to this survey, only 44% of them believe human life is sacred.
ONLY AROUND A QUARTER OF AMERICANS VIEW HUMAN LIFE AS SACRED
The study, based on responses from a nationally representative sample of 2,000 adults conducted in January, found only 27% of Americans view human life as sacred.
An equal share believes human life has no intrinsic value.
Approximately 25% of American adults believe that while life may not be sacred, “it has great value because of the human ability to reason or to make a difference in the world,” the researchers noted.
“The only people groups for which a majority view human life as sacred, were people with a Biblical worldview.
They include what the study categorised as Biblically defined disciples; SAGE Cons [Spiritually Active, Governance Engaged Conservative Christians]; adults who attend either an evangelical or a Pentecostal church; and individuals who are consistently pro-life.”
MORE THAN HALF OF AMERICANS CONSIDER ABORTION MORALLY ACCEPTABLE
Other key findings are that only 57% of American adults believe humans are “God’s creation, made in His image, fallen, and in need of redemption.”
That’s despite 70% of them identifying as Christian.
Some 52% of Americans now also consider abortion morally acceptable, while only 33% describe themselves as passionately pro-life.
Only half of US adults believe God is the all-powerful, all-knowing creator of the universe who rules it today, which is lower than a clear majority at the start of the millennium.
STUDY FINDS MANY AMERICANS ARE ‘NOTIONAL CHRISTIANS’ WITHOUT A BIBLICAL WORLDVIEW
Another 25% of respondents strongly agree that Jesus sinned during His time on earth, including “Notional Christians”, who represent about half of all churchgoers.
“Notional Christians” are those who embrace the label and the idea of Christianity, but refuse to study, meditate, work, and sacrifice in ways that cultivate genuine Christ-like lives.
The survey also found that 90% of American adults hold syncretism as their dominant worldview instead of Biblical theism.
Syncretism is the blending of diverse and often contradictory beliefs, cultures, or philosophies into a new, cohesive system.
It most commonly refers to the merging of religious traditions.
“EMBARRASSINGLY, FEW AMERICANS HAVE STUDIED OR REFLECTED ON THEIR ALLEGED FAITH”
Leading Christian researcher Professor George Barna who’s director of research at the Cultural Research Center pulled no punches in his assessment of the faith of many Americans — including Christians.
“The theological disposition of Americans consists largely of safe statements and bland moral and spiritual guesses, breeding lifestyles that are indistinguishable from those of people with distinctly different points of view and spiritual direction.”
“Embarrassingly, few self-described Christians have either studied or reflected on their alleged faith substantially enough to develop genuine, deeply held Biblical convictions and commitments.”
CHIEF RESEARCHER: “MANY CHURCHGOERS JUST WANT TO EXPERIENCE LIFE ON THEIR TERMS”
Professor Barna contended that “the data revealed that to millions of self-identified Christians, the Christian faith is not a Bible-based faith.”
“That alleviates the need to know and relate their life to scriptural principles and laws.”
The highly regarded Christian researcher raised deep concerns about American Christianity based on the findings.
He observed that even among regular churchgoers or people who say they are deeply committed to their faith, their objective “is to experience life on their terms, in the quest for control, popularity, comfort, or pleasure.”
“RELIGIOUS AMNESIA HAS PRODUCED A NATION WITH A WORLDVIEW DEVOID OF BIBLICAL CHRISTIANITY”
In conclusion, Professor Barna said “Americans meander through life with a broad assortment of vague religious beliefs and volatile religious behaviours.”
“That religious amnesia has produced a nation where the dominant worldview — adopted by nine out of 10 adults — is syncretism, not Biblical Christianity.”
“Dismissing the importance of Biblical truth principles and a holy lifestyle has led to tens of millions of regular church attenders settling in as Notional Christians.”
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