U.S. Protestants divided over whether faith alone or faith plus good works are needed for eternal life | Pew Research Center

August 25, 2017

U.S. Protestants Are Not Defined by Reformation-Era Controversies 500 Years Later

U.S. Protestants divided over whether faith alone or faith plus good works are needed for eternal life

U.S. Protestants divided over whether faith alone or faith plus good works are needed for eternal life

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U.S. Protestants divided over whether faith alone or faith plus good works are needed for eternal life

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U.S. Protestants Are Not Defined by Reformation-Era Controversies 500 Years Later
U.S. Protestants split on sola fide, sola scriptura; in issues connected to Reformation, U.S. Catholics mostly echo traditional church views
Few American Protestants know sola fide is Protestant belief
U.S. Protestants divided over whether faith alone or faith plus good works are needed for eternal life
Half of U.S. Protestants, three-quarters of U.S. Catholics say Christians need guidance from Bible and church teachings
Three-in-ten U.S. Protestants believe in both sola fide and sola scriptura
Three-in-ten U.S. Protestants say they believe in purgatory
Among U.S. white evangelicals, regular church attendance and higher levels of educational attainment linked with belief in sola fide, sola scriptura
Two-thirds of white evangelicals say belief in Jesus is key to gaining eternal life
Most U.S. Protestants know the Reformation was when Protestants broke away from Catholic Church
Most U.S. Protestants, U.S. Catholics know Martin Luther inspired the Reformation
Few American Protestants, Catholics know that only Protestants traditionally teach sola fide
Most U.S. Christians say they are familiar with the term ‘Protestant’
Many Americans see Protestants as Christians who are not Catholic
Nearly six-in-ten U.S. Protestants, two-thirds of U.S. Catholics say Catholics and Protestants today are more similar than different
Those who view Protestants and Catholics as similar see common beliefs in God, Jesus
Pope, saints among key differences seen between Protestants and Catholics
Half of U.S. Protestants say Catholicism is similar to their religion; half of Catholics say the same about Protestantism