In U.S., half of adults believe God determines what happens to them most or all of the time | Pew Research Center

April 23, 2018

When Americans Say They Believe in God, What Do They Mean?

In U.S., half of adults believe God determines what happens to them most or all of the time

In U.S., half of adults believe God determines what happens to them most or all of the time

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In U.S., half of adults believe God determines what happens to them most or all of the time

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When Americans Say They Believe in God, What Do They Mean?
One-third of U.S. adults believe in a higher power of some kind, but not in God as described in Bible
In U.S., half of adults believe God determines what happens to them most or all of the time
Slim majority of Americans believe in God as described in the Bible, while one-third believe in some other higher power
Those who believe in God of Bible see deity as more powerful, active than those who believe in another higher power or spiritual force
Relatively few religious ‘nones’ believe in God as described in Bible, but most do believe in some higher power
Three-quarters of U.S. Christians believe God is loving, omniscient and omnipotent
Most agnostics, those whose religion is ‘nothing in particular’ believe in a higher power or spiritual force
Compared with older Americans, fewer young adults believe in active, engaged God
College graduates less likely to believe in active, involved deity
Compared with Republicans, Democrats far less likely to believe in God as described in Bible
In their beliefs about God, nonwhite Democrats more closely resemble Republicans than white Democrats