Interpreting scripture among whites by state (2014) Switch to: State among whites by interpretation of scripture

% of whites who say the holy scripture is…

StateWord of God; should be taken literallyWord of God; not everything taken literallyWord of God; other/don't knowNot the word of GodOther/don't knowSample size
Alabama47%30%4%15%4%346
Alaska20%26%1%48%5%226
Arizona25%33%2%33%8%463
Arkansas40%33%2%20%5%229
California18%24%2%48%9%2,098
Colorado19%25%2%46%8%383
Connecticut14%28%2%48%8%286
Delaware13%36%1%42%8%217
District of Columbia7%20%1%65%8%124
Florida26%25%3%40%6%1,311
Georgia34%31%2%26%6%576
Hawaii11%29%4%49%8%141
Idaho25%32%2%35%6%280
Illinois21%34%2%35%8%975
Indiana33%29%4%29%5%532
Iowa25%38%2%29%6%304
Kansas27%38%3%24%8%255
Kentucky41%24%2%27%5%362
Louisiana33%30%3%27%6%289
Maine20%21%3%47%9%281
Maryland19%28%3%44%6%379
Massachusetts9%23%1%59%8%559
Michigan25%32%3%34%6%755
Minnesota21%27%2%40%9%483
Mississippi47%26%5%18%4%187
Missouri31%30%3%29%8%516
Montana22%33%5%35%6%278
Nebraska27%36%3%27%7%253
Nevada19%22%< 1%52%7%200
New Hampshire14%24%2%51%10%275
New Jersey14%29%3%45%9%605
New Mexico34%21%1%39%5%168
New York17%27%2%48%7%1,319
North Carolina31%28%4%28%8%712
North Dakota25%33%2%34%5%307
Ohio29%33%3%29%7%913
Oklahoma31%33%3%28%7%277
Oregon19%29%3%40%9%338
Pennsylvania27%29%2%36%6%1,124
Rhode Island17%29%1%48%4%258
South Carolina40%26%2%25%7%341
South Dakota30%38%2%19%11%268
Tennessee45%26%5%19%5%526
Texas35%27%2%29%7%1,379
Utah20%41%4%30%6%274
Vermont15%21%2%56%6%293
Virginia35%22%3%35%5%632
Washington20%27%2%43%7%542
West Virginia46%24%5%19%7%272
Wisconsin26%31%3%34%6%512
Wyoming33%29%4%27%7%277
Sample sizes and margins of error vary from subgroup to subgroup, from year to year and from state to state. You can see the sample size for the estimates in this chart on rollover or in the last column of the table. And visit this table to see approximate margins of error for a group of a given size. Readers should always bear in mind the approximate margin of error for the group they are examining when making comparisons with other groups or assessing the significance of trends over time. For full question wording, see the survey questionnaire.

Learn More: Word of God; should be taken literally, Word of God; not everything taken literally, Not the word of God