New Gallup survey shows most Americans believe in the Bible

An overwhelming majority of Americans believe the Bible is either the inspired or actual word of God, a Gallup poll revealed recently.

The Gallup poll which was taken from May 5 – 8 surveyed 1,018 adult respondents, aged 18 or older, from all 50 U.S. states.

The poll divided respondents into three categories, namely:

• Those who believe the Bible is inspired by God, but do not believe it should be interpreted literally.
• Those who believe the Bible is the actual word of God and who interpret it literally.
• Those who don’t believe the Bible is God’s word, and who consider it a collection of legends and fables written and compiled by men.

Up to 79 percent of Americans either believe the Bible is inspired by God (49 percent), or believe it is the actual word of God (30 percent) and adhere to a literal interpretation of the Holy Book.

Only 17 percent of respondents said they believe the Bible is a collection of fables and legends.

Overall biblical view

Overall, the largest percentage of Americans view the Bible as God inspired (49 percent). This is up by four percent from 1977 (45 percent).

Bible literalists, at 30 percent, have retained consistent numbers in the last two decades since 1992 (at 32 percent) to the present. The lowest percentage of literalists was in 2001 (27 percent).

However, today’s percentage of Bible literalists today is 10 percentage points less than in the 1980s (at 40 percent); and eight percent less than in the 1970s (at 38 percent).

Biblical view and frequency of church attendance 

A pattern was indicated regarding churchgoing habits and biblical view. Regular, weekly churchgoers are largely either biblical literalists (54 percent) or view the Bible as God inspired (41 percent).

Most of the people who go to church on a monthly or bimonthly basis tend to believe the Bible is inspired by God (66 percent). Only a few are literalists (22 percent).

Non churchgoers and rare attendees mostly believe the Bible is inspired by God (46 percent), while a smaller percentage of non churchgoers believe the Bible is a collection of legends (34 percent). Only 16 percent are literalists.

Biblical view and educational level

There is also a link seen between level of education attained and biblical view. The percentage of literalists tends to decline as educational levels rise. Most literalists have only finished high school or less (46 percent), while some have had some college (22 percent). The percentage of literalists is almost the same among those with college degrees (15 percent) and those with postgraduate degrees (16 percent).

The percentage of those who believe the Bible is God inspired is highest among those with college degrees (64 percent); and almost equal among those with postgraduate degrees (55 percent) and those with only some college (56 percent).

The percentage of those who believe the Bible is a collection of fables is highest among those with postgraduate degrees (25 percent). The numbers are the same for those with college degrees and those with only some college (19 percent).

Biblical view and church denomination

Among Protestants and Christian denominations the numbers seem to be closely split between literalists (41 percent) and those who say the Bible is God inspired (46 percent).

Most Catholics believe the Bible is inspired by God (65 percent), followed by Catholic literalists (21 percent) and those who see it as a collection of legends (9 percent).

Most people with no religion believe the Bible is a book of legends (63 percent), followed by those who see it as God inspired (30 percent). Only five percent are literalists.

Biblical view and political affiliation

All three political parties largely believe the Bible is inspired by God, with Republicans leading (at 51 percent), followed by Independents (50 percent) and Democrats (46 percent).

The second most prevalent biblical view group for all three parties is Bible literalists led by Republicans (42 percent), followed by Democrats (27 percent) and Independents (23 percent).

More Democrats (25 percent) view the Bible as a collection of legends compared to Independents (21 percent) and Republicans (six percent).

Biblical view and ideology

Conservatives tend to be equally split among literalists (46 percent) and those who believe the Bible is inspired by God (45 percent). Most moderates (55 percent) and liberals (48 percent) consider the Bible to be God inspired.

More liberals adhere to the belief that the Bible is a collection of legends (31 percent) compared to the percentage of liberal literalists (14 percent).

Among moderates, there are more literalists (23 percent) than those who view the Bible as a collection of fables (20 percent).

Significance

Overall, most Americans still believe that the Bible is the actual word of God, whether they adhere to a literal interpretation of the Bible or view it to be inspired by God. This is consistent with the general view that America is largely a Christian nation and that most Americans believe in God.