Americans Believe in Heaven, Hell and Heresy

For most Americans, heaven and hell are real places, it’s the getting there that’s a bit shaky.

A LifeWay Research study commissioned by Ligonier Ministries sought to check the theological temperature of the people in the pews and the streets to see what beliefs hold sway over the public.

They found 67 percent of Americans believe heaven is a real place, while 61 percent say the same thing about hell. But 45 percent of Americans believe there are many ways to heaven and only 18 percent believe even “small sins” are worthy of damnation.

Those weren’t the only issues where the views of the public diverged from the teaching of the Bible.

• 71 percent believe people must contribute something to their salvation
• 67 percent agree that most people are by nature good
• 64 percent say the Holy Spirit is a force, not a person
• 52 percent believe worshipping alone or with family is as good as going to church
• 33 percent think God the Father is more divine that Jesus
• 30 percent agree people will get another chance to follow God after they die
• 19 percent say Jesus was the first creature made by God

For more information on the study, read the full story from Facts & Trend‘s senior writer Bob Smietana. Below is an infographic with some takeaways from the research.