Associated Press – June 23, 2008
DENVER – America remains a nation of believers, but a new survey finds most Americans don’t feel their religion is the only way to eternal life – even if their faith tradition teaches otherwise.
The findings, revealed Monday in a survey of 35,000 adults, can either be taken as a positive sign of growing religious tolerance, or disturbing evidence that Americans dismiss or don’t know fundamental teachings of their own faiths.
Among the more startling numbers in the survey, conducted last year by the Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life: 57 percent of evangelical church attenders said they believe many religions can lead to eternal life, in conflict with traditional evangelical teaching.
In all, 70 percent of Americans with a religious affiliation shared that view, and 68 percent said there is more than one true way to interpret the teachings of their own religion.
“The survey shows religion in America is, indeed, 3,000 miles wide and only three inches deep,” said D. Michael Lindsay, a Rice University sociologist of religion.
“There’s a growing pluralistic impulse toward tolerance and that is having theological consequences,” he said.
Earlier data from the Pew Forum’s U.S. Religious Landscape Survey, released in February, highlighted how often Americans switch religious affiliation. The newly released material looks at religious belief and practice as well as the impact of religion on society, including how faith shapes political views.
The report argues that while relatively few people – 14 percent – cite religious beliefs as the main influence on their political thinking, religion still plays a powerful indirect role.
The study confirmed some well-known political dynamics, including stark divisions over abortion and gay marriage, with the more religiously committed taking conservative views on the issues.
But it also showed support across religious lines for greater governmental aid for the poor, even if it means more debt and stricter environmental laws and regulations.
By many measures, Americans are strongly religious: 92 percent believe in God, 74 percent believe in life after death and 63 percent say their respective scriptures are the word of God.
But deeper investigation found that more than one in four Roman Catholics, mainline Protestants and Orthodox Christians expressed some doubts about God’s existence, as did six in ten Jews.
Another finding almost defies explanation: 21 percent of self-identified atheists said they believe in God or a universal spirit, with 8 percent “absolutely certain” of it.
“Look, this shows the limits of a survey approach to religion,” said Peter Berger, a theology and sociology professor at Boston University. “What do people really mean when they say that many religions lead to eternal life? It might mean they don’t believe their particular truth at all. Others might be saying, ‘We believe a truth but respect other people, and they are not necessarily going to hell.’”
Luis Lugo, director of the Pew Forum, said that more research is planned to answer those kinds of questions, but that earlier, smaller surveys found similar results.
Nearly across the board, the majority of religious Americans believe many religions can lead to eternal life: mainline Protestants (83 percent), members of historic black Protestant churches (59 percent), Roman Catholics (79 percent), Jews (82 percent) and Muslims (56 percent).
By similar margins, people in those faith groups believe in multiple interpretations of their own traditions’ teachings. Yet 44 percent of the religiously affiliated also said their religion should preserve its traditional beliefs and practices.
“What most people are saying is, ‘Hey, we don’t have a hammer-lock on God or salvation, and God’s bigger than us and we should respect that and respect other people,’” said the Rev. Tom Reese, a senior fellow at the Woodstock Theological Center at Georgetown University.
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On the Net:
Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life: http://pewforum.org
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posted June 23, 2008 at 7:25 pm
“What most people are saying is, ‘Hey, we don’t have a hammer-lock on God or salvation, and God’s bigger than us and we should respect that and respect other people,’” said the Rev. Tom Reese, a senior fellow at the Woodstock Theological Center at Georgetown University.
Would that more people truly felt this way.
Jews have always said that there’s a place in the world to come for all the righteous – all those who do good deeds, do tzedekah (charity), etc.
As opposed to the (don’t know which denomination of) Protestant who once told my husband that she was going to pray for his soul, because, as he is Jewish, he was going to go to Hell.
posted June 23, 2008 at 7:57 pm
“most Americans don’t feel their religion is the only way to eternal life – even if their faith tradition teaches otherwise”
Aside of the eternal life wishful thinking there’s a lot of wisdom there. It’s impressive when people overcome the narrowness they are often exposed to on Sundays.
posted June 23, 2008 at 10:28 pm
This article of percentages of different religions, and comments by ministers, and theology professors, etc. show that people do not want to be put into a box with everything wrapped up. They’re seeking truths, and God. Understandings, interpretations, change as they experience life, and grow as humans. The people of today aren’t satisfied to be told how they should think, feel, and live their lives as though they can’t feel and act from their own hearts.
posted June 24, 2008 at 10:35 am
Many people seem to get their theology from cartoons and comedy routines more than they do from theological reflection. Th emythology of the Pearly Gates and Heaven has morphed a few times, but the images remain. I am working on using Stepehn Prothero’s book, “Religious Literacy” this fall for a series of church supper programs, simply to help our memebers become aware of other perpsectives. My hope is not only to educate them, but more to think about wht they believe. We do not impose belief or creedal/doctrinal structure in our denomination but refer to help people determine their own faith.
posted June 24, 2008 at 11:31 am
That’s why I like your Church, UCC, jestrfyl.
posted June 24, 2008 at 1:58 pm
Y’all come any time at all!
posted June 24, 2008 at 3:02 pm
I’d probably enjoy a lot of it, too.
posted June 24, 2008 at 10:18 pm
A lot of people don’t know what to believe they wander to and fro but when one has a personal relationship they need not doubt like the people in this article. One of the problems today there is just too much information and influence people can hardly get a grip on their faith before they are faced with a barrage of information from the media. They are faced with choices of half truths, total creative fallacy, wishful thinking, trickery and they just can’t determine which way is up, who is God or what He requires of us. Religion continues to be a mess but relationship is eternal.
posted June 25, 2008 at 1:24 pm
“Would that more people truly felt this way.”
Indeed. Far too many seem to believe that, just because they themselves don’t murder their neighbour in the name of their all-loving god for being different (e.g. religion, race, politican bend, sexual orientation) from themselves, then they are compassionate & opening minded. I wish I could have done the wording oif the questions on the survey – I’m certain the percentages & demographics woiuld have been different.