Barna’s Spiritually Open research shows that spiritually open non-Christians tend to be more receptive to core Christian beliefs compared to those who aren’t spiritually open. This presents meaningful opportunities for dialogue, particularly as people seek authentic connection and understanding across ideological divides.
The research reveals that non-Christians, particularly those who are spiritually open, often hold beliefs that align more closely with Christianity than many in the Church might think.
For example, 36 percent of spiritually open, non Chrisitans agree with the statement, God is the all powerful, all knowing, perfect creator of the universe who rules the world today.
And only 4 percent agree with the assertion – there is no such thing as God.
And just 14 percent of spiritually open, non-Christians agree with the statement, there are many gods, each with different power and authority.
This suggests that Christians and church leaders engaging with non-Christians have a valuable opportunity to build trust and find common ground, rather than assuming vast divides.
By understanding the baseline of beliefs that many non-Christians already hold, churches can have more meaningful, constructive conversations that address non-Christians’ real perspectives and concerns.
Barna’s series is titled, Spiritually Open.