When thinking about these theological convictions, most Americans classify them as opinions not facts. For 60% of U.S. adults, religious belief is a matter of personal opinion; it’s not objective truth.
“Many Americans think about God as if He had only revealed himself in a vague, nondescript way. They seem to fill in the gaps with whatever they want to believe,” said McConnell. “This creates sharp contrasts between what Americans believe about God and how He revealed himself in great detail in the Bible.”
Social Issues and Sin
Hot-button cultural issues often intersect with theological beliefs, and Americans often aren’t sure how to balance the two. A growing number says Christians should stay out of the discussion.
While 3 in 4 Americans (78%) say God created male and female, they’re more split on whether gender identity depends on personal preference. More than 2 in 5 (42%) say gender identity is a matter of choice, the highest in the history of the State of Theology. Half (51%) disagree. The American public is more divided than American pastors. A 2020 study of U.S. Protestant pastors found 72% believe it is morally wrong for an individual to identify with a gender different than the sex they were born.
Half of U.S. adults (53%) say sex outside of traditional marriage is a sin, while 42% disagree. Those who view non-marital sex as sinful has increased slightly but steadily since 49% said the same in 2016.
Americans are also split on whether the Bible’s condemnation of homosexual behavior is still applicable. Slightly less than half (46%) say it doesn’t apply today, and 42% disagree.
Additionally, Americans are closely divided over the issue of abortion. While 53% say abortion is a sin, 39% disagree. Still, a previous Lifeway Research study specifically on abortion found 12% of U.S. adults say abortion shouldn’t be legal in any situation. When asked specifically what time period they believe abortion should be a legal option assuming there are no health issues for the woman or the fetus, half of Americans say no later than 12 weeks.
Three in 10 Americans (30%) say Christians should stay silent on political issues, an increase from 24% in 2020 and the highest percentage recorded in any previous State of Theology study. Around 3 in 5 Americans (61%) disagree.
“Discussions of sin are inherently theological, because they explore whether God set standards and what behaviors miss this mark,” said McConnell. “So, those who acknowledge certain behaviors as sin are acknowledging a deity’s standards. This is a different discussion than whether society agrees on an ethical standard of conduct that we determine.”
Eternal Destinations
Americans believe God cares about what we do each day, most people are generally good, but hell is a real place where some people will spend eternity in punishment.
While 58% of U.S. adults disagree, a growing number believe God is unconcerned with their day-to-day decisions. Around a third of Americans (32%) say God isn’t concerned with what they do on a daily basis, up from 25% in 2020 and the highest since the State of Theology first asked the question in 2014.
As people consider their actions and their nature, most believe they’re naturally good and start off innocent before God. Two in 3 Americans (66%) say everyone sins a little, but most people are good by nature. Seven in 10 (71%) say everyone is born innocent in the eyes of God.
