A new survey has found that more than half of Americans do not believe God exists or that He “affects lives.“
The findings come from the Cultural Research Center at Arizona Christian University.
George Barna, director of research at the school, said of the findings, “The more time you spend thinking about what this research tells us, the more you are likely to conclude that nothing short of sweeping national repentance and spiritual renewal can save America from itself.”
He added, “It seems obvious that political, economic, legal, or institutional improvements are not what America needs most desperately today. Those cultural arenas merely provide prescriptions that address the symptoms, but not the disease.”
The report, he said, is evidence that God has been “reconfigured into our own image in order to fit within our personal comfort zone.”
The research found that overall, 60% of Americans do not believe God exists or that He “affects lives.” Nearly half of self-identified Christians (47%) and a slightly smaller share of theologically identified born-again Christians (40%) said the same.
Another key finding, more than three out of four people who believe God exists and is influential in their lives nevertheless do not get their identity from their relationship with Him.
Barna said the finding suggests that group apparently doesn’t believe their connection to God comes with responsibilities.