A recent survey has revealed that an overwhelming majority of Christians reject the fundamental teaching of the Trinity.
The Cultural Research Center at Arizona Christian University published these findings as part of its American Worldview Inventory series, based on responses from 2,100 adults collected in January.
Only 40% of respondents believe that God exists and affects people’s lives, a figure that increases to 53% among self-identified Christians and 60% among theologically identified born-again Christians. Among Integrated Disciples, defined as those with a biblical worldview, the figure reaches 100%.
While a majority (59%) of those surveyed are believers in Jesus Christ, only 29% believe in the Holy Spirit.
Just over 1 in 10 respondents (11%) affirm the belief in the Trinity, the concept that the God of the Bible consists of “three distinct but inseparable and equal persons in one infinite Being.” Support for the Trinity is slightly higher among self-identified Christians at 16%, and it rises to 24% among born-again Christians, reaching 62% among Integrated Disciples.
George Barna, Director of Research at the CRC, commented on the survey results, stating, “These results are further evidence of the limited or lack of trust Americans have in the Bible, the limitations we place on the authority and influence of God, and our refusal to cooperate with God by living in harmony with His ways and purposes.”
He noted that even within groups most aligned with biblical teachings, belief in the Trinity is “shockingly low for a nation in which most people claim to be Christian.”
Barna described the findings as “another in a long list of examples of people living without the truths and life principles of God shaping their life.”
He lamented, “We know from our national worldview tracking studies that most Americans are uninformed about the many essential biblical teachings, ranging from the Ten Commandments and the Trinity, to matters related to repentance, salvation, the chief purpose of life, and divine measures of success.”
He further suggested that contemporary influencers shaping America's spiritual views include figures like Tucker Carlson, Joe Rogan, and Jordan Peterson, Megyn Kelly, and Bill Maher rather than traditional religious leaders.
Barna remarked that these individuals “mix practical and sometimes unbiblical theology and philosophical points of view into their commentary on life and world events.” Meanwhile, he pointed out that many Christian churches focus on delivering multi-part series that fail to effectively develop a biblical worldview for congregants to counter popular secular narratives.
Barna concluded with a challenging question, asking whether “the Church of God [is] devoted to know Him and making Him known, or has it been seduced by the distractions and distortions of our culture?”
