A liberal United Methodist might qualify as an evangelical under that test, but it does not even define the Bible as the wholly inspired-of-God, and basically literal and accurate word of God. Those who do so are the most conservative and unified major religious group. (http://www.peacebyjesus.com/RC-Stats_vs._Evang.html; American Piety in the 21st Century, Baylor Institute for Studies of Religion http://www.baylor.edu/content/services/document.php/33304.pdf)
However, the 71% of Americans with Evangelical Beliefs who affirmed “Jesus is the first and greatest being created by God,” even though 85% of them affirmed “Jesus is truly God and has a divine nature, and Jesus is truly man and has a human nature,” and 97% said “There is one true God in three persons..." can be explained by the reluctance to disagree with a statement that, in part, says Jesus Christ is the greatest being. To disagree wold seem to impugn upon His greatness. Had they asked, "Do you agree that "Jesus was always God along with the Father?," or "Do you agree that Jesus was created by God the Father?" then a more accurate response would be found.
But while the Federalist seems motivated to gain readers by shock value, the actual survey reports such finding as that,
• 94% of Americans with Evangelical Beliefs affirm "God is the author of Scripture” versus 50% of Americans who do not hold evangelical beliefs.
• 94% of Americans with Evangelical Beliefs affirm “The Bible alone is the written word of God” versus 42% of Americans who do not hold evangelical beliefs.
• 95% of Americans with Evangelical Beliefs affirm “The Bible has the authority to tell us what we must do” versus 39% of Americans who do not hold evangelical beliefs
• 95% of Americans with Evangelical Beliefs affirm “The Bible is 100% accurate in all that it teaches” versus 36% of Americans who do not hold evangelical beliefs.
• Only 17% of Americans with Evangelical Beliefs affirm that “The Bible, like all sacred writings, contains helpful accounts of ancient myths but is not literally true,” versus 51% of Americans who do not hold evangelical beliefs.
• Only 30% of Americans with Evangelical Beliefs affirm “The Bible was written for each person to interpret as he or she chooses” versus 56% of Americans who do not hold evangelical beliefs.
• 68% of Americans with Evangelical Beliefs disagree that “There is little value in studying or reciting historical Christian creeds and confessions.”
• 97% of Americans with Evangelical Beliefs affirm “There is one true God in three persons: God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit” versus 62% of other Americans.
• 85% of Americans with Evangelical Beliefs affirm “Jesus is truly God and has a divine nature, and Jesus is truly man and has a human nature” versus 56% of other Americans.
• 66% of Americans with Evangelical Beliefs Disagree that the Holy Spirit is a divine being but is not equal with God the Father and Jesus” versus 48% of other Americans.
• 98 percent of those with evangelical beliefs agree that the biblical accounts of the physical (bodily) resurrection of Jesus are completely accurate, versus 56 percent of Americans who do not hold evangelical beliefs.
• 92% of those who hold evangelical beliefs agree “God would be fair to show His wrath against sin” versus 51% of other Americans.
• 96% of those who hold evangelical beliefs agree “There will be a time when Jesus Christ returns to judge all the people who have lived” versus 50% of other Americans.
• Eighty-four percent of those who hold evangelical beliefs say hell is a place of eternal judgment, where God sends all people who do not personally trust in Jesus Christ. Only 30 percent of Americans who don’t have evangelical beliefs hold that view.
• 64 percent of those who hold evangelical beliefs affirm “Heaven is a place where all people will ultimately be reunited with their loved ones,” which seems contrary to the prior affirmation, but many may have assumed "all" refers to Christians.
97 percent of those who hold evangelical beliefs affirm “God has authority over all people because He created human beings” versus 58% of other Americans.
• 95 percent of those who hold evangelical beliefs affirm “Humans exist to bring God glory and to enjoy Him” versus 50% of other Americans.
• Eighty-four percent of those who hold evangelical beliefs agree “Salvation always begins with God changing a person so that he or she will turn to Him in faith” versus 47% of other Americans.
• 91 percent of those with evangelical beliefs say sex outside of marriage is a sin, versus 50 percent of Americans who do not hold evangelical beliefs.
• 99% of Americans with Evangelical Beliefs affirm “God created male and female” as do 72% percent of other Americans.
• Only 32% of Americans with Evangelical Beliefs affirm Gender identity is a matter of choice.”
• 87 percent of Americans with evangelical beliefs say abortion is a sin versus 41 percent of other Americans.
• 94% of Americans with Evangelical Beliefs affirm "God continues to answer specific prayers" versus 60% of other Americans.
• 37% of Americans with Evangelical Beliefs affirm “God will always reward true faith with material blessings.”
• 42% of Americans with Evangelical Beliefs affirm “Worshiping alone or with one’s family is a valid replacement for regularly attending church.”
• 81 percent of Americans with evangelical beliefs affirm “Churches that do not preach from the Bible should not be considered a Christian church” versus 36% of other Americans.
Thanks for that more accurate and in depth look at that survey.
Yes, thank you for that post. As a Catholic, I note the enormous amount of common ground for orthodox Catholics and the great majority of evangelicals.