Published on: 28 April 2023
DOHI NEWS
According to Dr. George Barna, Director of Research at the Cultural Research Center (CRC) at Arizona Christian University, the impact of the pandemic has had both positive and negative effects on the American adult population.
In January 2023, the CRC conducted its American Worldview Inventory (AWI), an annual tracking study, begun in 2020, that evaluates the worldview of the US adult population (age 18 and over). The survey is composed of “several dozen worldview-related questions that fall within eight categories of worldview application, measuring both beliefs and behavior.”
On April 20th, the CRC released their results to the public. What the current study uncovered was that Americans have undergone a significant shift in their religious beliefs and behaviors compared to just three years ago before the pandemic. Dr. Barna calls these worldview changes, “highly unusual.”
For example, the AMI identified 14 measures that point to a substantial change.
| More people embracing biblical beliefs: | 2020 | 2023 | Change | |
| There are moral absolutes that apply to everyone, all the time | 32% | 46% | +14 | |
| Even if a person is good or does good things for other people, they cannot earn a place in Heaven | 35% | 45% | +10 | |
| The purpose of life is to know, love, and serve God with all your heart, mind, strength, and soul | 29% | 36% | +7 | |
| The Bible is the true and completely accurate words of God | 41% | 46% | +5 | |
| Fewer people embracing biblical beliefs: | ||||
| You have a unique, God-given calling or purpose for your life | 66% | 46% | -20 | |
| Human life is sacred | 39% | 29% | -10 | |
| God is the basis of all truth | 42% | 36% | -6 | |
| You consider yourself to be a Christian | 72% | 68% | -4 | |
| More people adopting biblical behaviors: | ||||
| Sexual intercourse between two people who are not married to each other is morally unacceptable | 27% | 38% | +11 | |
| Intentionally lying to someone to protect reputation or best interests is morally unacceptable | 47% | 53% | +6 | |
| Fewer people adopting biblical behaviors: | ||||
| You are deeply committed to practicing your religious faith | 60% | 48% | -12 | |
| You attend a church service, either in-person or online, at least once a week | 39% | 33% | -6 | |
| You read or study the Bible at least once a week | 37% | 33% | -4 | |
| You acknowledge your sins and ask for God’s forgiveness at least once a week | 54% | 50% | -4 | |
| Source: AWI 2020 and 2023, CRC at Arizona Christian University, N= 2,000 adults, nationally representative sample of adults 18 or older, mixed-mode data collection. |
“Most religious beliefs change over the course of generations, not a few years,” Barna explained, “However, we know that major life crises have the capacity to introduce substantial change quickly in the foundations of people’s faith. The pandemic was certainly a life crisis for our nation, so even though this magnitude of spiritual shift was not expected, it is feasible given the physical and psychological effects of COVID along with the economic, relational, and lifestyle effects of the government’s drastic policies.”
Barna also added, “Although some of the belief and behavior shifts seem to conflict with one another, this is precisely what happens when the prevailing worldview of the nation is Syncretism.”
Syncretism, the principal worldview of Americans today, is the combining of beliefs from various religions, cultures and philosophies to satisfy the needs of the individual.
“For the foreseeable future,” Barna continued, “it is likely that most people will ignore their incompatible philosophies and make do the best they can. [Americans] are seeking comfort and security more than spiritual and intellectual consistency.”
To read the full report, go to: CRC_AWVI2023_Release_03.pdf (arizonachristian.edu)
