Religious Americans: My faith isn't the only way

WASHINGTON - America remains a deeply religious nation, but a new survey finds most Americans don't believe their tradition is the only way to eternal life -- even if the denomination's teachings say 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 same-sex "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 eight 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. "Some people are like butterflies that go from flower to flower, going from religion to religion -- and frankly they don't get that deep into any of them," he said.

Beliefs about eternal life vary greatly, even within a religious tradition. Some Christians hold strongly to Jesus' words as described in John 14:6: "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." Others emphasize the wideness of God's grace. The Roman Catholic Church teaches that the "one church of Christ ... subsists in the Catholic Church" alone and that Protestant churches, while defective, can be "instruments of salvation."

Roger Oldham, a vice president with the executive committee of the Southern Baptist Convention, bristled at using the word "tolerance" in the analysis. "If by tolerance we mean we're willing to engage or embrace a multitude of ways to salvation, that's no longer evangelical belief," he said. "The word 'evangelical' has been stretched so broadly, it's almost an elastic term."

Others welcomed the findings. "It shows increased religious security. People are comfortable with other traditions even if they're different," said the Rev. C. Welton Gaddy, president of the Interfaith Alliance. "It indicates a level of humility about religion that would be of great benefit to everyone."

More than most groups, Catholics break with their church, and not just on issues like abortion and homosexuality. Only six in ten Catholics described God as "a person with whom people can have a relationship" -- which the church teaches -- while three in ten described God as an "impersonal force."

"The statistics show, more than anything else, that many who describe themselves as Catholics do not know or understand the teachings of their church," said Denver Roman Catholic Archbishop Charles Chaput. "Being Catholic means believing what the Catholic church teaches. It is a communion of faith, not simply of ancestry and family tradition. It also means that the church ought to work harder at evangelizing its own members."

So, which "evangelicals" would call Jesus a liar?

None of them. But many of them would say that the way one chooses to get to Christ is not necessarily the only way.

And even those that do think that their way is the only way aren't going to behead those that think differently.

Interesting

>> None of them. But many of them would say that the way one chooses to get to Christ is not necessarily the only way.

EXACTLY!

Furthermore, I believe this is what is meant by “judge not”. I am unprepared and ill-equipped to judge the Salvation of another.

Christ is the only way — but I am not prepared to contend that mine is the only way to Christ.

>> Only six in ten Catholics described God as “a person with whom people can have a relationship” — which the church teaches — while three in ten described God as an “impersonal force.”

I don’t find this particularly surprising — and I don’t think Martin Luther would either.

My understanding was that this is a principle difference between Protestant and Catholic theology — Catholicism requires a go-between (of sorts) between the human and the divine ... such as a Priest or the Pope. Protestantism emphasizes that no conduit is needed as, a personal connection with God is possible.

But — I am not a Catholic, so I cannot state with certainty exactly what a Catholic believes.

***But many of them would say that the way one chooses to get to Christ is not necessarily the only way. ***

And there is the problem. The closer any given religion is to Christianity, (ie Mormonism, Jehovah's Witnesses) the more the average Evangelical would agree with your comment. But let's pull back a bit further. How comfortable would an Evangelical be with Zoroastrianism? Radical Islam? The Peoples "Kool-Aid" Temple?

The cause of this universalist view is the decline of doctrinal teaching in churches today, the very thing many of us on the GRPL have been railing against for years. Doctrine doesn't matter we have been told. Do what it takes to get people in the door. Dumb down the service. Talk to people where they are. Smile a lot. Don't talk about sin. Just tell them God loves them, period.

Well, the chickens are coming home to roost.

Pray that God would open our eyes even further. I think the best chance we have of that is to turn our eyes toward Him on the concepts that we do understand, and that are made clear. Our culture needs to turn its heart toward home, and will HE not embrace us, and will he not take us in His arms. Yes Christ is the answer and He says he who loves me observes My commands. We are far from Him. Our culture is rejecting Him more and more daily. The Catholics and Protestants should stand together in love to move the culture toward Christ. We are in desperate need of it.

Only six in ten Catholics described God as “a person with whom people can have a relationship” — which the church teaches — while three in ten described God as an “impersonal force.”

NEWS FLASH: Many Catholics disagree with the Church and/or are poorly Catechized. This has been the point of many Catholics at FR for awhile...no news here.

You are mistaken, but thank you for your disclaimer stating you cannot say what Catholics believe. Unlike many, you don't claim authority over the beliefs of others - it is refreshing to see on this forum! Just for clarities sake though, Catholicism requires no go-between. Our theology is much deeper than the glossy "me-and-Jesus" take of some branches of Protestantism, but that is not the topic of the article, and thus appropriate for some other thread.

The analogy I frequently use is simply that GOD is in Kansas. The *devout* Virginian will insist that the one true path to GOD is to travel due west, over the Appalachians and across the Mississippi River...and only by following this path, can one reach GOD.

The Californian will argue vehemently, insisting that the only true path to GOD is, in fact, due east, across the deserts and the Rockies. Likewise, the Texan will insist that both the Virginian and the Californian are dead wrong, and that the one true path to God is due north, through the oil fields and farms of Oklahoma.

Certainly there are false religions that will lead people away from GOD and keep people wandering around in circles, but depending on where you are when HE calls you, the most direct path for any given person might be an interstate highway or a lonely goat trail.

As a Christian, I truly believe the only way to salvation is through CHRIST, but in my limited human comprehension, I dare not feign the ultimate vanity of claiming to know how CHRIST may choose to reveal himself to other people.

>> You are mistaken

Wouldn’t be the first time.

>> but thank you for your disclaimer stating you cannot say what Catholics believe. Unlike many, you don’t claim authority over the beliefs of others - it is refreshing to see on this forum!

You’re welcome.

>> Just for clarities sake though, Catholicism requires no go-between. Our theology is much deeper than the glossy “me-and-Jesus” take of some branches of Protestantism ...

Interesting turn-around there. Just as I should claim no authority over the beliefs of others — nor should you. It simply isn’t for you to declare that Catholic “theology is much deeper” than Protestantism, or that some Protestantism is a “glossy ‘me-and-Jesus’ take”. You failed to take your own advice.

Another finding almost defies explanation: 21 percent of self-identified atheists said they believe in God or a universal spirit, with eight percent "absolutely certain" of it.

LOLOL.

Just goes to show people are idiots unless the Holy Spirit grabs hold of them and drags them to the truth of the Triune God.

Gamecock is correct. Without sound doctrine men will always find fables and lies to believe in.

"speak thou the things which become sound doctrine" -- Titus 2:1

"Now the end of the commandment is charity out of a pure heart, and of a good conscience, and of faith unfeigned:
From which some having swerved have turned aside unto vain jangling;
Desiring to be teachers of the law; understanding neither what they say, nor whereof they affirm." -- 1 Timothy 1:5-7

I disagree. I didn't state what Protestants believe - I described their theology. Now, it may be a nuanced difference, but it is a difference nonetheless. Specifically, I was commenting on the same brand of Protestantism which Gamecock spoke of when he said:

The Rick Warren Purpose Driven theology is shallow - Jesus loves you. End. As such, I stand by my previous statement.

Generally agreed. There is great fodder for humor in the “Kansas” analogy, though ...

>> Likewise, the Texan will insist that both the Virginian and the Californian are dead wrong,

I am a Texan — and generally speaking, Virginians and Californians are dead wrong about a great many things.

>> and that the one true path to God is due north, through the oil fields and farms of Oklahoma.

There is simply no way that the path to God can go through Oklahoma ... unless the existence of Purgatory is a literal truth.

To those of you in Oklahoma, California or Virginia — of course, I’m kidding. Don’t take it personally ... not everyone’s cut out for Texas (with the definite exception of Austin — the penal colony where we Texans send the hippies that escaped Berkeley).

The *devout* Virginian will insist that the one true path to GOD is to travel due west, over the Appalachians and across the Mississippi River...and only by following this path, can one reach GOD.

As a native and *devout* Virginian, I can assure you that no real Virginian would believe God is in Kansas.

Here is a link to an article I read awhile back in reference to that subject:

What divides Catholics and Protestants?

However, as is pointed out on page 2:

Differences aside, Protestants and Catholics do share several core beliefs including the Trinity, the deity of Jesus, and the fact that he was sinless, that he died on the cross for man’s sin and rose from the dead and ascended to heaven.

Given that the core beliefs are the same, I don't understand why the two can't just coexist without all of the judgemental attitude...and sometimes, outright arrogance...coming in to play.

>> I disagree. I didn’t state what Protestants believe - I described their theology. Now, it may be a nuanced difference, but it is a difference nonetheless.

Oh, I get it! Protestants shouldn’t speak out of turn in describing the beliefs of Catholicism ... but you, a Catholic, are perfectly justified in describing Protestant theology as “shallow”.

There exists a fine line between “nuanced” and mere semantics.

>> The Rick Warren Purpose Driven theology is shallow - Jesus loves you. End.

Generally speaking, we shallow Protestants do not take our theology from the NYT bestsellers list. Its just a book, slick.

>> As such, I stand by my previous statement.

As such — so do I.

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