American Worldview Inventory
Permanent URI for this collectionhttps://hdl.handle.net/20.500.14097/14
Survey reports by George Barna on the worldviews of American adults
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Item Open Access American Worldview Inventory 2024: Research Suggests Consequences of Anti-Biblical Worldview Often Misdiagnosed and Treated as Mental Illness(Cultural Research Center at Arizona Christian University, 2024-09-24) Barna, George"The latest worldview research from Dr. George Barna of the Cultural Research Center at Arizona Christian University presents a chilling possibility: Hundreds of thousands of Americans are spending tens of millions of dollars and numerous hours investing in drugs and mental health solutions that are treating the wrong problem. Based on several recent studies exploring adults who admit to frequently struggling with anxiety, depression, and fear, Barna and his colleagues suggest that addressing those conditions may not require counseling, hospitalization, drugs, or other common remedies. The research instead indicates that those are often symptoms of an unhealthy worldview that produces and reinforces the emergence of anxiety, depression, fear, and even suicidal thoughts. Instead of turning to mental health treatments, the best prescription for millions of Americans is to embrace a more reliable and proven worldview, according to Barna. Barna is not suggesting that everyone’s mental health issues are caused by worldview deficiencies. He readily acknowledges that some people have mental impairments caused by chemical imbalances, genetic issues, physical or biological challenges, or other conditions. But for many people, the failure to recognize the consequences of harmful worldview beliefs and behaviors may result in costly, futile, and potentially debilitating misdiagnoses" (Excerpt from Report).Item Open Access American Worldview Inventory 2024: New Research Reveals the Limitations of Christian Evangelicalism in American Society(Cultural Research Center at Arizona Christian University, 2024-08-06) Barna, GeorgeThe fourth release in the 2024 American Worldview Inventory by the Cultural Research Center at Arizona Christian University. In the release, Dr. George Barna explains how the spiritual collapse of Christianity in the United States has led to moral cultural decline. Barna discusses popular beliefs amongst Evangelicals which are both theologically right and wrong. He also notes that the term 'Evangelical' has been misapplied by journalists, often creating false statistical portrayals of that particular demographic. There is also a reflection by Dr. Barna about the complexities of researching Christians in the United States and recommendations for what pastors can do to aid in the development of the Christian worldview in their congregations.Item Open Access American Worldview Inventory 2024: Explaining America’s 40-Year Drop in Biblical Worldview - And How to Reverse that Decline(Cultural Research Center at Arizona Christian University, 2024-05-28) Barna, GeorgeThe newest American Worldview Inventory of 2024 functions as an explanation for the decline of a Biblical worldview throughout the nation. As previous generations grow smaller in size and are replaced with Generations Z and Millennials, a decrease in Biblical worldview incidence occurs. Dr. George Barna discusses the realities of this alteration, the new morality, and morality behaviors.Item Open Access American Worldview Inventory 2024: Millions of Americans Embrace Common Unbiblical Perspectives, Survey Shows(Cultural Research Center at Arizona Christian University, 2024-04-23) Barna, George"American adults are increasingly embracing a host of unbiblical perspectives—and this profound shift in beliefs is causing many of the disturbing social patterns and lifestyles responsible for the deterioration of our society and leading to the overwhelming level of national dissatisfaction. A new report from the Cultural Research Center at Arizona Christian University, based on the American Worldview Inventory 2024, reveals that the typical American adult is not a worldview purist but is essentially a worldview plagiarist, combining beliefs and behaviors borrowed from an average of nine recognized worldviews into their personal worldview blend" (Excerpt from Report).Item Open Access American Worldview Inventory 2024: America Needs Spiritual Renewal More than a Political Majority(Cultural Research Center at Arizona Christian University, 2024-02-19) Barna, George"As increasing attention shifts to the approaching 2024 election, many Americans hope that the next leader of the nation will restore unity to our divided country. A new survey conducted by the Cultural Research Center at Arizona Christian University, however, suggests that such an outcome is improbable. Regardless of who the candidates are, and who gets elected, the survey underscores that the foundational beliefs of Americans are so fragmented that Americans are presently incapable of developing a united perspective on who America is and how we will move forward together. In fact, the results from a new national research study reveal a startling degree of disunity in the foundational perspectives among the American public, according to veteran researcher George Barna" (Excerpt from Report).Item Open Access American Worldview Inventory 2023: How the Pandemic Reshaped Christian Beliefs and Behaviors(Cultural Research Center at Arizona Christian University, 2023-06-13) Barna, George"We are learning more about the effects of COVID-19 on the religious faith of Americans, and a new research report from the Cultural Research Center at Arizona Christian University identifies a series of significant shifts in people’s beliefs and behaviors during the pandemic. Noteworthy changes were found in church attendance, church affiliation, and core beliefs, according to data from the latest report from the annual American Worldview Inventory 2023" (Excerpt from Report).Item Open Access American Worldview Inventory 2023: U.S. Adult Generations Vary in Spiritual Responses to Pandemic(Cultural Research Center at Arizona Christian University, 2023-05-10) Barna, George"The COVID-19 pandemic affected the lives of every American—but it did not affect everyone in the same way, or to the same degree. Newly released data from the Cultural Research Center at Arizona Christian University based on the American Worldview Inventory 2023 shows that the four adult generations in the United States— Millennials, Gen X (Baby Busters), Baby Boomers, and Elders—had very different spiritual responses to the pandemic" (Excerpt from Report).Item Open Access American Worldview Inventory 2023: How the Faith of Americans Has Shifted Since the Start of the Pandemic(Cultural Research Center at Arizona Christian University, 2023-04-20) Barna, George"The impact of the pandemic is still being felt in many ways. The deadly virus and the government actions it caused have affected many aspects of people’s lives, When it comes to faith, the shifts for Americans are both negative and positive. The first national post-pandemic study of Americans’ worldview has found that not only has the incidence of biblical worldview dropped slightly (from 6% to 4%), but there have been more changes than usual in people’s religious beliefs and behaviors" (Excerpt from Report).Item Open Access American Worldview Inventory 2023: Research Identifies the Best Starting Point for Developing a Biblical Worldview(Cultural Research Center at Arizona Christian University, 2023-03-14) Barna, George"Focusing on what lead researcher George Barna describes as “the seven cornerstones of a biblical worldview,” the new research identifies seven particular beliefs without which a person is very unlikely to develop a consistently biblical life of thought and action. More than four out of five adults who embrace these seven basic biblical teachings possess a biblical worldview. In comparison, only a relative handful of people who do not believe the seven foundations hold a biblical worldview" (Excerpt from Report).Item Open Access American Worldview Inventory 2023: Incidence of Biblical Worldview Shows Significant Change Since the Start of the Pandemic(Cultural Research Center at Arizona Christian University, 2023-02-28) Barna, George"... the first national study of Americans’ worldview in the post-lockdown era found that the incidence of biblical worldview declined to a mere 4%—down one-third from the 6% recorded just months before the pandemic started in 2020. New research from the Cultural Research Center at Arizona Christian University shows that the benchmark worldview measure of American adults taken in January 2020 may prove to be the high-water mark for the foreseeable future. Americans tinkered with many things during the three lockdown years—from home-improvement projects to baking sourdough bread—but improving their worldview apparently was not one of them. The research shows declines in biblical understanding throughout American society since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic."-Excerpt from ReportItem Open Access American Worldview Inventory 2020: Perceptions of Morality & Moral Choices(Cultural Research Center at Arizona Christian University, 2022-06-02) Barna, George"Our nation is facing a potential moral freefall unthinkable to earlier generations—with a majority of Americans today no longer embracing values of honesty, respect for the rule of law, the sanctity of life, and traditional sexual morality when facing moral issues. The latest research from the Cultural Research Center at Arizona Christian University shows that America is undergoing a radical reshaping of what constitutes morally acceptable behavior, as American adults increasingly reject biblical teaching and absolute moral truth as the basis of moral decision-making. The study finds that American adults are as likely to rely on other people (30%) or their own personal beliefs, feelings or experiences (31%) as they are religious faith (29%) when making moral choices."Item Open Access American Worldview Inventory 2020: Perceptions of the Value of Human Life(Cultural Research Center at Arizona Christian University, 2020-06-23) Barna, George"As our nation’s biblical foundations continue to erode, Americans’ understanding of the fundamental nature of humanity and the value of human life is shifting significantly—with a large majority of Americans today believing that human beings are “basically good,” and less than 40% seeing human life as having intrinsic value or as being “sacred.” Although they conflict with traditional biblical teaching, these views increasingly have permeated well beyond the secular culture to all but the most conservative, deeply religious segments of American society. According to new research from the Cultural Research Center at Arizona Christian University, the majority of Americans no longer believe that human life has intrinsic value, with six out of ten rejecting the idea that “human life is sacred.” Only 39% of Americans today view human life as “sacred,” or as having unconditional, intrinsic worth."Item Open Access American Worldview Inventory 2020: Perceptions of Sin and Salvation(Cultural Research Center at Arizona Christian University, 2020-08-04) Barna, George"With American adults increasingly rejecting biblical answers to key questions of life—from meaning and purpose, to understanding the intrinsic value of human life, to the existence of objective truth—it is little surprise that current views of sin and salvation are increasingly void of biblical understanding. New research shows that unlike past generations, who readily recognized the reality of sin and the need for salvation through Jesus Christ, American adults today increasingly adopt a “salvation-can-beearned” perspective, with a plurality of adults (48%) believing that if a person is generally good, or does enough good things during their life, they will “earn” a place in Heaven. Only one-third of adults (35%) disagree, according to findings from the Cultural Research Center at Arizona Christian University."Item Open Access American Worldview Inventory 2020: Worldview and Political Beliefs(Cultural Research Center at Arizona Christian University, 2020-08-19) Barna, George"As the 2020 election nears, new research from the American Worldview Inventory 2020 shows a broad, deep gap in American political beliefs and behavior, rooted not in ideology or partisanship, but in fundamental differences in the worldview of voting-age adults being fueled by a national cultural shift away from the biblical worldview. Veteran researcher and author of the survey, Dr. George Barna, says the findings lead to one unmistakable conclusion. “The 2020 election is not about personalities, parties, or even politics. It is an election to determine the dominant worldview in America.”"Item Open Access American Worldview Inventory 2020: Millennials and Worldview(Cultural Research Center at Arizona Christian University, 2020-09-22) Barna, George"Previous findings from the American Worldview Inventory 2020 show the rapid erosion of the biblical worldview in American culture—with only 6 percent of adults today possessing a biblical worldview, down from twice that (12 percent) in the mid-1990s. But nowhere is this cultural shift more dramatic than among the youngest American adults, ages 18 to 36. The findings show a generation radically different in its worldview and beliefs from previous generations. According to recent AWVI 2020 findings from the Cultural Research Center at Arizona Christian University, Millennials increasingly—and robustly—reject the Christian faith, with only 2 percent possessing a biblical worldview. They are also discarding the most basic American values, such as respect for others and obligations of civic engagement, the study finds. Veteran researcher Dr. George Barna called the most recent findings “troubling.” He explained, “The significantly divergent worldview perspectives and applications of the four generations—especially how different the Millennials are from their predecessors—suggests a nation that is at war with itself to adopt new values, lifestyles, and a new identity.”"Item Open Access American Worldview Inventory 2020: Churches and Worldview(Cultural Research Center at Arizona Christian University, 2020-10-06) Barna, George"American Christianity is undergoing a “post-Christian Reformation”—with the nation’s major Christian groups rapidly replacing traditional theological beliefs with the culture’s secular values. A new study from the Cultural Research Center at Arizona Christian University finds that the nation’s four main Christian groups—evangelicals, Pentecostals and charismatics, mainline Protestants, and Catholics—are creating new worldviews that are only loosely tied to the biblical teachings that have traditionally defined them. The American Worldview Inventory 2020, conducted by CRC Director of Research Dr. George Barna, surveyed 51 beliefs and behaviors among Christian groups and found that rather than transforming the culture around them with biblical truth, the opposite is happening."Item Open Access American Worldview Inventory 2020: Restoring America by Reframing Its Worldview(Cultural Research Center at Arizona Christian University, 2020-11-10) Barna, George"(Glendale, AZ) – The 2020 election is simply the latest example of the worldview war that is ripping America apart. While that conflict is portrayed in a variety of ways—divergent political ideologies, opposing religious beliefs and practices, competing lifestyle preferences— do not be deceived. In America we are experiencing an intensification of the battle for worldview supremacy. Although the biblical worldview still serves as a cultural and political touchstone for American society, that foundation has endured a relentless attack for several decades, to the extent that its continued centrality and influence is certainly in question. Most Americans are oblivious to this, the real civil war ravaging America. As the nation steadily moves toward the elimination of the biblical worldview as the cornerstone of our society, such a restructuring of our society will not simply alter a few life patterns to which we have grown accustomed. Removing the biblical worldview from the conversation will radically transform every aspect of American life, from family experiences and religious activity, business operations, classroom content, and the legal code. Abandoning even seemingly benign biblical worldview principles—such as the Golden Rule or the admonitions to not lie, cheat or steal—will hasten the moral and communal demise of this once-great nation. Worldview turnaround may be possible, but it won’t be quick."Item Open Access American Worldview Inventory 2021: America’s Dominant Worldview Syncretism(Cultural Research Center at Arizona Christian University, 2021-04-13) Barna, George"The groundbreaking worldview research conducted by the Cultural Research Center at Arizona Christian University in 2020 revealed that just 6% of U.S. adults have a biblical worldview. A new piece of groundbreaking research by the Cultural Research Center answers the question raised by the initial study: If American adults do not have a biblical worldview, what is the dominant worldview among the other 94%? The simple—and surprising—answer is, there isn’t one! Based on half-hour-long personal interviews with a nationally representative sample of 2,000 adults, the CRC study found that the most common worldview might best be described as Syncretism. That’s the summary name for a disparate, irreconcilable collection of beliefs and behaviors that define people’s lives. It’s a cut-andpaste approach to making sense of, and responding to life. Rather than developing an internally consistent and philosophically coherent perspective on life, Americans embrace points of view or actions that feel comfortable or seem most convenient. Those beliefs and behaviors are often inconsistent, or even contradictory, but few Americans seemed troubled by those failings."Item Open Access American Worldview Inventory 2021: Introducing America’s Most Popular Worldview—Moralistic Therapeutic Deism(Cultural Research Center at Arizona Christian University, 2021-04-27) Barna, George"Everyone has a worldview. Nobody has a pure worldview. The most common worldview among Americans is Syncretism, which isn’t a true worldview but rather a collection of disparate worldview elements blended into a customized philosophy of life. And the latest insight from the nation’s largest, ongoing worldview research project reveals that the worldview Americans are most likely to draw from is unknown to the people who turn to it—a relatively new and obscure philosophy of life known as Moralistic Therapeutic Deism—or MTD."Item Open Access American Worldview Inventory 2021: The Seismic Generational Shift in Worldview: Millennials Seek a Nation Without God, Bible and Churches(Cultural Research Center at Arizona Christian University, 2021-05-12) Barna, George"It is not uncommon to find substantial differences in lifestyle choices across generations. Worldview preferences are no different. The American Worldview Inventory 2021, the annual survey of the philosophy of life held by American adults, conducted by the Cultural Research Center at Arizona Christian University, did find some worldview similarities across generations. Specifically: • The dominant worldview of all four adult generations in the United States is Syncretism—the mash-up of various worldviews that provides each individual with a customized understanding of, and response to life. In total, 88% of Americans have Syncretism, rather than a substantively coherent and recognizable worldview such as postmodernism or secular humanism, as their dominant worldview. A large majority of each generation relies on a syncretistic worldview when making their life choices. Overall, 89% of Millennials, 86% of Gen Xers, 83% of Boomers, and 86% of Builders have a syncretistic worldview (see CRC’s report on Syncretism here). • None of the four generations had at least one out of 10 of its members for whom any of the seven worldviews was dominant. • A majority of Americans, regardless of their generation, consider themselves to be Christian, ranging from a low of 57% of Millennials to a high of 83% among Builders. • CRC’s assessment measures worldview within eight categories of beliefs and behavior. The new research revealed that across all four generations the category in which Americans are least likely to think and act biblically is the dimension of “Bible, Truth, and Morals.” Further, all four generations were found to be most likely to believe and behave biblically in relation to religious faith practices. • There were more than a dozen specific biblical beliefs accepted by only a minority of members of each generation. The differences across generations paint a more alarming picture of how the Christian faith and biblical principles are perceived and embraced in our nation"