Sermon Central
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Growing ...
Contributed by Sermon Central on Apr 14, 2009 (message contributor)
GROWING PLURALISM
Most Americans don’t believe their religious tradition is the only way to eternal life, even if their denomination teaches otherwise, finds a Pew Forum study. 57% of evangelical church-attenders believe many religions can lead to eternal life. 70% of Americans with a religious affiliation hold this view, and 68% say there is more than one true way to interpret the teachings of their own religion. D. Michael Lindsay, a Rice University Sociologist of Religion said, "There’s a growing pluralistic impulse toward tolerance that is having theological consequences." Americans are strongly religious: 92% believe in God, 74% believe in life after death and 63% say their respective scriptures are the word of God. Yet, more than 1 in 4 Roman Catholics, mainline Protestants and Orthodox Christians express some doubts about God’s existence, as do 6 in 10 Jews. And unexplainably, 21% of self-identified atheists believe in God or a universal spirit; 8% are "absolutely certain" of it. The majority of religious Americans believe many religions can lead to eternal life: mainline Protestants (83%), members of historic black Protestant churches (59%), Roman Catholics (79%), Jews (82%) and Muslims (56%). Yet 44% of the religiously affiliated also said their religion should preserve its traditional beliefs and practices.
(AP 6/23/08)
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