EDITORIAL
Barna Trends | David Kinnaman
With the success of The Chosen streamed series and the conversations sparked by He Gets Us, Jesus Christ is trending in pop culture. However, does Jesus register in the hearts of Americans?
Jesus asked his disciples, “Who do you say that I am?” In our own way, Barna has posed this question to millions of people over decades of surveys. Here are three findings from our most recent data on who Americans say Jesus is.
Jesus Was Real.
Most Americans believe Jesus Christ was a real person who actually lived. In our most recent studies, 4 in 5 U.S. adults say they believe Jesus is real, with 55% expressing complete certainty of this. This is encouragingly high given the changes in religious affiliation and church participation and the so-called “rise of the nones” over the past two decades.
Also hopeful: 7 in 10 adults (71%) say they view Jesus positively, connecting him with words like forgiveness and compassion. People feel warmly toward Jesus, and we’re seeing a high degree of spiritual openness in America.
Committed Core vs Jesus Skeptics
Even if Jesus is widely perceived to have been a real historical figure, Americans’ core convictions about him differ widely. Thirty-five percent of adults affirm all four of the following statements:
* Completely certain that Jesus lived on Earth
* Believe Jesus was entirely human and fully God
* Have made a personal commitment to Jesus Christ
* Believe Jesus will return to Earth one day
It’s mind-boggling that roughly 90 million Americans embrace all four of these core beliefs about Jesus. We should not be concerned that the Christian faith is edging toward irrelevance. Literally tens of millions are part of this Committed Core of Jesus followers.
On the other end of the spectrum, 26% are categorized as Jesus Skeptics because they agree with at least one of these statements:
* I am uncertain if Jesus lived on Earth
* Jesus is a myth or just a man
* Jesus was not God
* There is no way to know if God exists or not
A plurality of adults (39%) reside somewhere between the Committed Core and the Skeptics. Though most Americans stem from a Christian root—about half have a Protestant background and a quarter affiliate as Catholic—beliefs about Jesus appear thin and withered. These broad-but-not-deep beliefs should compel us to rigorously and creatively evaluate our discipleship outcomes.
Jesus Will Return (Soon).
For a population that is largely unsure what they really believe about Jesus, half of Americans (52%) contend that Jesus will return to Earth someday. What’s more, 18% think he will return in their lifetime. This is a shockingly high number who believe in the Second Coming of Christ when many aren’t sure if they believe in Jesus’ divinity. Perhaps it’s spiritual muscle memory from having been raised in or exposed to the church that has shaped this belief for so many. Whatever the reason, it’s another opportunity for Christians to engage in spiritual conversations with people inside and outside the church.
The majority of Americans have signaled strongly that they’re open to searching out what will truly satisfy their soul’s deepest longings, and they frequently look to Jesus as a positive influence on their search. As Christ followers, we know that every question and need can be answered in and through Jesus. Together, as we offer a fresh take on who he is, we can help fan belief in Jesus for millions of Americans today.