American Beliefs Study “Beliefs About God and Jesus in American Communities” Press Kit

ACS Technologies, a leader in church management software, market expertise, and data analysis, has released the most recent report in its groundbreaking American Beliefs Study: Religious Preferences and Practices. The latest, American Beliefs Study: Beliefs About God and Jesus in American Communities, is designed to equip churches and community leaders to effectively respond to the ever-changing trends of personal belief systems in the American landscape. With particular regard to generational variations, this study helps readers understand different age groups’ beliefs about God, Jesus, the Christian narrative, and what they’re looking for in worship.

Key Findings:

• Most Americans of all generations believe there is a God (or god or gods) of some kind out there. Millennials scored highest for atheism, with one in five agreeing with the statement, “I don’t believe a god exists; the material universe is all that is.” They also scored highest for uncertainty about God’s existence, with 26% affirming, “I’m unsure/undecided about whether a god exists.”
• The Bible teaches there is only one God. Twenty percent of Millennials agreed with the statement, “there are many gods.” In contrast, only 11% of Silents and Boomers agreed with that statement, as did 14% of Gen Xers.
• Relatively few Americans believe Jesus was only human, that he was just a great teacher or prophet. For the three older age groups, 56% to 62% agreed that “Jesus was both divine and human.” Millennials, however, lagged behind at a significantly lower 49%, meaning that Millennials are evenly divided on the question of Jesus being God.
• 36% of Gen Z respondents indicated they did not have any religious preference over the past 10 years. This suggests that 64% have a preference, which suggests opportunities for relationships with people in this age group.