WASHINGTON, D.C. — A record-low 20% of ** you do not have permission to see this link ** the Bible is the literal word of God, down from 24% the last time the question was asked in 2017, and half of what it was at its high points in 1980 and 1984. Meanwhile, a new high of 29% say the Bible is a collection of “fables, legends, history and moral precepts recorded by man.” This marks the first time significantly more Americans have viewed the Bible as not divinely inspired than as the literal word of God. The largest percentage, 49%, choose the middle alternative, roughly in line with where it has been in previous years.
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The shift in attitudes about the Bible is not an isolated phenomenon. It comes even as a number of indicators show a decline in overall religiosity in the U.S. adult population. These measures include declines in ** you do not have permission to see this link **. Thus, it is not surprising to find that views on the nature of the Bible have shifted in a less religious direction as well.
If you will pardon so hoary a cliché, the handwriting is on the wall. Even as reactionary domestic forces attempt to impose their social views on the majority using the coercive powers of our institutions, whatever social support they retain continues to decline. These reactionary forces have finally realized apparently that they no longer have the power to convince or persuade so they took the political opportunity that became available to them to impose. Doubtless these folks imagine their attempts will slow down social progress – they will make much mischief – but…the handwriting is on the wall.
Will the US achieve European levels of secularism? Hard to say. But a sea change is occurring; something fundamental is shifting in our culture. A certain form of religious expression is dying. We’re centuries away from a true “post-Christian” culture but time does it’s work.
I remember the discussion between Polish biblical scholars and historians on the occasion of the publication of Tysiąclatka – the Bible in Polish. Historians have suggested that certain introductions to the Bible be changed as a result of recent historical discoveries. The biblical scholars replied: what for? After all, whether something was historical or not has no significance at all.
Stephen said
WASHINGTON, D.C. — A record-low 20% of ** you do not have permission to see this link ** the Bible is the literal word of God, down from 24% the last time the question was asked in 2017, and half of what it was at its high points in 1980 and 1984. Meanwhile, a new high of 29% say the Bible is a collection of “fables, legends, history and moral precepts recorded by man.” This marks the first time significantly more Americans have viewed the Bible as not divinely inspired than as the literal word of God. The largest percentage, 49%, choose the middle alternative, roughly in line with where it has been in previous years.…
The shift in attitudes about the Bible is not an isolated phenomenon. It comes even as a number of indicators show a decline in overall religiosity in the U.S. adult population. These measures include declines in ** you do not have permission to see this link **. Thus, it is not surprising to find that views on the nature of the Bible have shifted in a less religious direction as well.
If you will pardon so hoary a cliché, the handwriting is on the wall. Even as reactionary domestic forces attempt to impose their social views on the majority using the coercive powers of our institutions, whatever social support they retain continues to decline. These reactionary forces have finally realized apparently that they no longer have the power to convince or persuade so they took the political opportunity that became available to them to impose. Doubtless these folks imagine their attempts will slow down social progress – they will make much mischief – but…the handwriting is on the wall.
Will the US achieve European levels of secularism? Hard to say. But a sea change is occurring; something fundamental is shifting in our culture. A certain form of religious expression is dying. We’re centuries away from a true “post-Christian” culture but time does it’s work.
Good post.
JAS said
At this point, I wonder if we will be around long enough to make such a shift.
Well I’m not a prophet or the son of a prophet (or a dresser of sycamore trees for that matter) but I suspect in twenty years or so when the last of the Boomers gives up the ghost then the bottom will fall out. It will seem like it took place overnight as many profound social revolutions do but it will have been a long time in coming. Of course we will not become a nation of rationalist atheists. Polls show that self-identified atheists have never totaled much over 3% of the population. The majority will be folks who have their own “mind your own g*dd*m business” kind of approach, the so-called “nones”, for whom religion is a private matter. There will still be Christians who have accommodated their beliefs to the culture as they have always done but they will have lost their privileges.
Sure it’s entirely possible that in the troubled decades ahead we might sink into another Great Awakening (the third right?) and Burnt Over Districts dot the land. But I don’t think so. This is not just another demographic oscillation. I think something profound is happening and I for one am totally fascinated. Can Christianity survive if it is not socially privileged in some way? Can it ever be a purely personal matter? I have my doubts. Over the years I’ve known dozens of religious people who seemed to have no personal spirituality I could detect. This is why the prospect of the loss of their social privileges is so discombobulating. That’s all they have. I suspect the vast majority of fundamentalist evangelicals view their religion just this way. This is why the culture war is so important to them. This is why they’re willing to get into bed with a sleaze like Donald Trump, the sort of man they otherwise pretend to despise, just to have some political clout. Paradoxically perhaps, as much trouble as they will undoubtedly cause, they’re just hastening their own demise.
Jarek said
I remember the discussion between Polish biblical scholars and historians on the occasion of the publication of Tysiąclatka – the Bible in Polish. Historians have suggested that certain introductions to the Bible be changed as a result of recent historical discoveries. The biblical scholars replied: what for? After all, whether something was historical or not has no significance at all.
I’m not sure Europeans really understand how batsh*t crazy Americans can be. I know of a New Testament professor who was drummed out of his position because he suggested the story in Matthew 27:53 about the dead coming out of their graves and appearing in Jerusalem after Jesus’ resurrection was “apocalyptic imagery” rather than a historical account.
The case of ML is good for analysis. Here is a man of good repute, a good specialist, a very good person, dismissed from the position of professor at the university. His view of the incident in the Bible was deemed to be dangerous to the project. And the project is a school operating in accordance with the principles of the Chicago Declaration. Both sides saw the good of this project differently. it makes good people face each other.
Jarek said
The case of ML is good for analysis. Here is a man of good repute, a good specialist, a very good person, dismissed from the position of professor at the university. His view of the incident in the Bible was deemed to be dangerous to the project. And the project is a school operating in accordance with the principles of the Chicago Declaration. Both sides saw the good of this project differently. it makes good people face each other.
Perhaps. I saw a recent video produced by Licona about the date and authorship of the gospel of Mark which offered solutions at both extremes, one at 33 BCE and the other at 300 BCE as if these weren’t fringe views. At no point did he offer to explain to his audience the mainstream scholarly view that Mark written around the First Revolt. He presented the fringe views as if they were serious proposals. I thought this was dishonest because he certainly knows better. I watched his video in the first place precisely because I wanted to hear viewpoints other than my own. My perception is that Licona was primarily focused on reassuring his own audience than getting at the truth of the matter.
Stephen said
JAS said
At this point, I wonder if we will be around long enough to make such a shift.
Well I’m not a prophet or the son of a prophet (or a dresser of sycamore trees for that matter) but I suspect in twenty years or so when the last of the Boomers gives up the ghost then the bottom will fall out. It will seem like it took place overnight as many profound social revolutions do but it will have been a long time in coming. Of course we will not become a nation of rationalist atheists. Polls show that self-identified atheists have never totaled much over 3% of the population. The majority will be folks who have their own “mind your own g*dd*m business” kind of approach, the so-called “nones”, for whom religion is a private matter. There will still be Christians who have accommodated their beliefs to the culture as they have always done but they will have lost their privileges.
Sure it’s entirely possible that in the troubled decades ahead we might sink into another Great Awakening (the third right?) and Burnt Over Districts dot the land. But I don’t think so. This is not just another demographic oscillation. I think something profound is happening and I for one am totally fascinated. Can Christianity survive if it is not socially privileged in some way? Can it ever be a purely personal matter? I have my doubts. Over the years I’ve known dozens of religious people who seemed to have no personal spirituality I could detect. This is why the prospect of the loss of their social privileges is so discombobulating. That’s all they have. I suspect the vast majority of fundamentalist evangelicals view their religion just this way. This is why the culture war is so important to them. This is why they’re willing to get into bed with a sleaze like Donald Trump, the sort of man they otherwise pretend to despise, just to have some political clout. Paradoxically perhaps, as much trouble as they will undoubtedly cause, they’re just hastening their own demise.
I imagine that seeing the religious extremists (and those like Trump using them for political purposes) who are constantly on TV/social media are making young people very skeptical of organized religion. Then the big challenge is getting them to actually vote.
In Europe until recent times fundamentalists tried to suppress critical voices but they have lost the battle.
In 1970s biblical scholar ** you do not have permission to see this link **).
Between 1980s and 1990s in Germany two university professors were fired for their heretical views.
The former catholic Uta Ranke-Heinemann (turned very liberal non theist in the fashion of John Shelby Spong) and the former lutheran ** you do not have permission to see this link ** (turned atheist and vocal critic of worst sides of Christianity, like intolerance, bigotry and antisemitism).
Talking about USA, I don’t see other great awakenings behind the corner. Fundies are very vocal but their ranks are shrinking at rapid pace. Millennials are leaving organized religion and NOT coming back. This does not mean that all of them will become strong atheists, but nones or non dogmatic believers in a non judgemental benevolent high power.
** you do not have permission to see this link ** in early 1800 wished that within few decades the majority of Americans would have become Unitarians / deists but did not happen.
It was too soon. If I remember well one of the awakenings was a reaction to the essays of Thomas Paine.
But now internet, a pluralistic world view and growing religious literacy (thanks to books like the ones written by prof. Ehrman) are liberating the minds.
Of course, the fundies who will not leave the fold will become more extreme and lunatic. But luckily they will lose political influence.
mb1980 said
Of course, the fundies who will not leave the fold will become more extreme and lunatic. But luckily they will lose political influence.
While many people are leaving traditional and formal churches, they may still identified broadly with the tradition, just not the institutions. As for the “fundies,” they are very reliable voters, and are likely to retain outsized power for decades to come. Loss of confidence in institutions is not limited to religions. (Just now, the “fundies” already own the supreme court.) Before we start celebrating their demise, we need to survive their current reign and its effects.
Who leaves organized religion not necessarily embraces a more rational world view.
Sometimes people replaces old myths with new irrational beliefs.
Let me explain.
In my country, Italy, very few believe that the bible is the word of God and evolution is widely accepted while creationism is dead.
BUT when it comes to biblical criticism, the more popular books are NOT the essays written by scholars with academic credentials.
** you do not have permission to see this link **, a respected professor of Near Ancient History some years ago wrote an essay titled “Israel’s History And the History of Israel“.
He is in the consensus, close to archeologists like Zeev Herzog, Israel Finkelstein and Nadav Na’aman and scholars like Ron Hendel and Lester Grabbe.
He’s not an hardcore minimalist but he states that the Patriarchs and the Exodus are not actual history and that David and Solomon were local chieftains.
But only few have read his book; I hold a PhD in history, many of my friends and colleagues know the works of Liverani but we are not the majority.
While the books written by ** you do not have permission to see this link ** with shiny covers are on the shelves of all bookstores and sell like hot cakes.
Biglino is a fringe “scholar” and he believes that the stories in the bible are not mythology but warped memories of ancient battles between aliens!
According to him Yahweh was not a product of human mind like other deities (a tribal wargod originally worshipped by nomadic tribes and gradually merged with the Canaanite god El by proto-israelites, see Thomas Romer, “the Invention of God“), but an extraterrestrial warlord, a Anunnaki.
That’s sounds crazy to me, but pseudoscientific conspiracy theories and magic are more palatable for the masses than legitimate research.
Replace Goddidit with UFOdidit!
National TV channels interviewed Biglino many times, while they almost ignored professor Liverani.
Probably in USA people with such mindset after leaving some branch of fundie Christianity does not choose secular humanism but joins to Scientology (Ron Hubbard was a science fiction writer… HAIL XENU) or to some New Age / Ufo cult like Raelians.
And I know quite a few secular humanists who I consider to be at least mildly crazy . . . oddly, several of them are professional therapists. (That seems to be a profession that attracts people trying, often unsuccessfully, to solve their own problems.) Being a secular humanist is not necessarily a sign of intelligence or wisdom.
I gather that, based on recent elections, Italy has moved rightward, that is to say, more conservative. If so, I am sorry to hear it. It too often seems as if everything really is ending, and all at once.
mb1980 said
Who leaves organized religion not necessarily embraces a more rational world view.Sometimes people replaces old myths with new irrational beliefs.
Let me explain.
In my country, Italy, very few believe that the bible is the word of God and evolution is widely accepted while creationism is dead.
BUT when it comes to biblical criticism, the more popular books are NOT the essays written by scholars with academic credentials.
** you do not have permission to see this link **, a respected professor of Near Ancient History some years ago wrote an essay titled “Israel’s History And the History of Israel“.
He is in the consensus, close to archeologists like Zeev Herzog, Israel Finkelstein and Nadav Na’aman and scholars like Ron Hendel and Lester Grabbe.
He’s not an hardcore minimalist but he states that the Patriarchs and the Exodus are not actual history and that David and Solomon were local chieftains.
But only few have read his book; I hold a PhD in history, many of my friends and colleagues know the works of Liverani but we are not the majority.
While the books written by ** you do not have permission to see this link ** with shiny covers are on the shelves of all bookstores and sell like hot cakes.
Biglino is a fringe “scholar” and he believes that the stories in the bible are not mythology but warped memories of ancient battles between aliens!
According to him Yahweh was not a product of human mind like other deities (a tribal wargod originally worshipped by nomadic tribes and gradually merged with the Canaanite god El by proto-israelites, see Thomas Romer, “the Invention of God“), but an extraterrestrial warlord, a Anunnaki.
That’s sounds crazy to me, but pseudoscientific conspiracy theories and magic are more palatable for the masses than legitimate research.
Replace Goddidit with UFOdidit!
National TV channels interviewed Biglino many times, while they almost ignored professor Liverani.
Probably in USA people with such mindset after leaving some branch of fundie Christianity does not choose secular humanism but joins to Scientology (Ron Hubbard was a science fiction writer… HAIL XENU) or to some New Age / Ufo cult like Raelians.
mb1980 said
Who leaves organized religion not necessarily embraces a more rational world view.Sometimes people replaces old myths with new irrational beliefs.
Let me explain.
In my country, Italy, very few believe that the bible is the word of God and evolution is widely accepted while creationism is dead.
BUT when it comes to biblical criticism, the more popular books are NOT the essays written by scholars with academic credentials.
** you do not have permission to see this link **, a respected professor of Near Ancient History some years ago wrote an essay titled “Israel’s History And the History of Israel“.
He is in the consensus, close to archeologists like Zeev Herzog, Israel Finkelstein and Nadav Na’aman and scholars like Ron Hendel and Lester Grabbe.
He’s not an hardcore minimalist but he states that the Patriarchs and the Exodus are not actual history and that David and Solomon were local chieftains.
But only few have read his book; I hold a PhD in history, many of my friends and colleagues know the works of Liverani but we are not the majority.
While the books written by ** you do not have permission to see this link ** with shiny covers are on the shelves of all bookstores and sell like hot cakes.
Biglino is a fringe “scholar” and he believes that the stories in the bible are not mythology but warped memories of ancient battles between aliens!
According to him Yahweh was not a product of human mind like other deities (a tribal wargod originally worshipped by nomadic tribes and gradually merged with the Canaanite god El by proto-israelites, see Thomas Romer, “the Invention of God“), but an extraterrestrial warlord, a Anunnaki.
That’s sounds crazy to me, but pseudoscientific conspiracy theories and magic are more palatable for the masses than legitimate research.
Replace Goddidit with UFOdidit!
National TV channels interviewed Biglino many times, while they almost ignored professor Liverani.
Probably in USA people with such mindset after leaving some branch of fundie Christianity does not choose secular humanism but joins to Scientology (Ron Hubbard was a science fiction writer… HAIL XENU) or to some New Age / Ufo cult like Raelians.
Agreed. In the 1800s, the Millerites believed Jesus was gonna return on a date certain in 1844. It didn’t happen. Their individual responses to that “Great Disappointment” varied widely. But for most, it was not a return to normalcy. Not a few merely set new dates for Christ’s return. Others decided he did return on the expected date but did so invisibly. Many joined the Shakers, a fringe religious group that abstained from sex and built furniture to take their minds of that deprivation.
JAS said
Before we start celebrating their demise, we need to survive their current reign and its effects.
Unfortunately who believes we live in the endtimes and takes the Book of Revelation literally sees this world as a corrupt and fallen place populated by depraved sinners (The “Massa damnata” described by Augustine of Hippo, who believed that newborn babies were guilty too), deserving to be destroyed as soon as possible by an angry and vindictive deity and does nothing to improve things.
The only things he/she wants is to “be saved” from wrath and to achieve eternal bliss in the afterlife, being on the side of the Allmighty Avenger, Lord of the Armies (“a conception derived from the ancient Oriental despotisms. It is a conception quite unworthy of free men” wrote Bertrand Russell in 1927) and enjoying the sight of unbelievers, sinners, free thinkers and followers of different religions burning in the eternal fire.
I have the feeling that some of them actually enjoy wars and pandemics because they perceive such events as signs of the “second coming”.
It’s not a strawman argument.
It’s what they keep telling since the times of Paul and of the “fathers” of the Church. Tertullian’s writings are full of hate.
But such attitude is older than Christianity; Zoroastrism depicted the world as a battleground between the followers of the good deity Ahura Mazda and the minions of the evil god Ahriman, Essenes believed to be “the sons of the light” while everyone else, included many Jews, was a “son of darkness” and the Gospel of “John” has a similar dualistic world view. It’s partially fault of Platonism as well, because Plato stated that this world is just a shadow of the perfect – and imaginary – world of the ideas.
Some years ago I supposed that apocalypticists were very few lunatics without real power, like “reverend” Harold Camping.
But I have realized that in USA they are quite influential.
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