 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, released 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 attendees 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.
Doubts about 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).
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