Barna/CRC: Christianity Slowly Shrinking in U.S. to the Benefit of Competing Faith Systems | | Barna: Roughly 15 million Americans have joined 'no-faith' segment in the five years since the COVID pandemic; 'Nones' now outnumber Catholics with a 10% growth rate since 2020 | | |
GLENDALE, AZ (May 1, 2025) —A new report from Dr. George Barna and the Cultural Research Center at Arizona Christian University (ACU) reveals a dramatic shift in America’s spiritual landscape, with a significant decline in Christian affiliation, a rise in non-Christian faiths and “no-faith” segments, and widespread confusion about moral truth.
The study found that Christian affiliation dropped from 72% in 2020 to 66% in 2025—a decline equating to a loss of roughly 15 million adults over five years. Meanwhile, non-Christian faiths have surged: Buddhism grew by 56%, Judaism by 21%, and Islam by 12%, with all non-Christian faiths combined increasing by 39% since 2020. Dr. Barna cautioned that while these growth rates appear large, those numbers are somewhat exaggerated because of the small base associated with each faith group, but the trend is clear — “Christianity is slowly shrinking at the expense of competing faith systems.”
| | |
The “no-faith” segment—those disassociating from any religious belief—rose from 20% in 2020 to nearly 23% in 2025, totaling 60 million adults. This group now outnumbers Catholics, traditionally the largest church-related segment, with a 10% growth over the half-decade showing no signs of slowing.
A parallel concern is the rejection of absolute moral truth, with 66% of U.S. adults denying its existence—a figure unchanged from 2020. Among non-Christian faith groups, rejection of moral absolutes varies, currently at 67%, while the no-faith segment saw a rise from 68% to 77%. Within Christian groups, mainline Protestants rejecting absolute truth increased to 61%, and 69% of Catholics dismiss it. Born-again Christians showed improvement, with rejection dropping from 57% in 2020 to 49% in 2025.
| | Dr. George Barna, Director of Research at Arizona Christian University's Cultural Research Center and author of Raising Spiritual Champions: Nurturing Your Child's Heart, Mind and Soul (Arizona Christian University Press, 2023) | | |
The study explored how Americans determine truth, revealing a lack of consensus. Only 44% of adults—despite two-thirds identifying as Christian—cite God and the Bible as their basis for truth. Other sources include scientific facts (25%), personal certainty (13%), public consensus (5%), and laws (5%). Among faith segments, Pentecostal (78%), evangelical (73%), and born-again Christians (73%) most often name God and the Bible as their truth source, compared to 65% of non-denominational Christians, 58% of mainline Protestants, and 48% of Catholics.
When asked to list published sources of “consistent, relevant, and reliable truth,” 59% chose the Bible—far surpassing alternatives like the Koran, Book of Mormon, Torah, or Nietzsche’s Beyond Good and Evil (each at 5%), Plato’s Five Dialogues (4%), the Wiccan Book of Shadows, The Communist Manifesto, and the Humanist Manifesto (each at 3%). Yet this conflicts with the 44% who claim God and the Bible as their primary truth basis, highlighting inconsistency.
The survey identified eight truth sources, with personal feelings topping the list: 74% of adults rely on emotions to discern moral truth. Other sources include the Bible (44%), public policies (41%), scientific claims (40%), cultural norms (39%), non-biblical philosophies (24%), personal experience (21%), and peer input (18%).
Despite the Bible’s popularity as a truth source, only 18% of adults consistently rely on it for moral guidance. Baby Boomers (ages 60–70s) are most likely to prioritize scripture, with 26% consistently turning to it, compared to 20% of Gen X (ages 40s–50s), 12% of Millennials (ages 22–40), and 9% of Gen Z (ages 18–21). Asian-Americans were least likely to identify as Christian (42%) but most likely to rely on the Bible (21%), while Blacks were least likely (13%). Women are more likely than men to prioritize scripture (20% versus 16%). Among faith groups, Pentecostals (47%), evangelicals (44%), and born-again Christians (43%) most often prioritize scripture, compared to 34% of non-denominational Christians, 30% of mainline Protestants, and 12% of Catholics.
|
| |
Dr. Barna attributes this confusion to the lack of strict boundaries in determining truth.
“Two out of three adults believe truth is conditional, and more than four out of five Americans are comfortable drawing from multiple sources or bases of truth,” Barna explained. “Even people who generally believe the Bible or the God of the Bible are the most reliable sources of moral truth admit that it is common for them to make their moral choices based on feelings, laws, traditions, peer pressure, social standards, science, or ease.”
Barna links this moral turbulence to the dominant worldview in America—Syncretism.
“As sad as this state of affairs may be,” Barna commented, “it is predictable and understandable. The dominant worldview in America is Syncretism, an eclectic and highly personalized mixture of the sacred and the secular, embraced by nine out of 10 adults. Possessing a worldview that thrives on relativism and the flexibility of its core beliefs certainly fosters the ‘all sources are legitimate’ route to moral decision-making.”
He suggests that churches, families, and schools advocate for absolute moral truth rooted in biblical principles.
“With a minority of Americans believing that the God of the Bible is real and reliable, and an even smaller number reading the Bible during a typical month, it’s no wonder there is such moral turbulence in our culture,” Barna continued. “Everyone becomes his or her own arbiter of truth, and without absolutes, there is little sense that there is a ‘right’ answer to discover, or to have ideas about how to figure it out if there were such a definitive reality.”
Dr. Barna’s research has guided Christian leaders for over four decades. A professor at ACU, Director of Research at the CRC and a Senior Research Fellow at the Family Research Council’s Center for Biblical Worldview, he has authored over 60 books, including his latest, Raising Spiritual Champions. His work has been cited by major media and has informed strategies for churches, ministries, and organizations like the U.S. military.
The full report is available at www.arizonachristian.edu/culturalresearchcenter.
|
| About The American Worldview Inventory 2025 | | The American Worldview Inventory 2025: A National Study for Strengthening the Worldview of Americans from Dr. George Barna is designed to examine concerning trends in American beliefs about God, truth, sin, and salvation. It seeks to understand why these key aspects of American faith are weak and to provide practical insights for rebuilding a strong biblical worldview in our nation. This major research from the Cultural Research Center at Arizona Christian University is essential for understanding the nation’s current worldview landscape and for guiding future improvements, with approximately 12 reports planned for release in 2025. Reports from AWVI 2025 are available here. | | About the Cultural Research Center | | |
The Cultural Research Center at Arizona Christian University in Glendale, Arizona, conducts the annual American Worldview Inventory as well as other nationwide surveys regarding worldview and cultural transformation. National studies completed by the Cultural Research Center (CRC) have investigated topics related to family, values, lifestyle, spiritual practices, and recent election-related activity and political views.
One of the groundbreaking efforts by CRC has been the worldview-related surveys conducted among the ACU student population. The first-of-its-kind ACU Student Worldview Inventory is administered to every ACU student at the start of each academic year, and a final time just prior to graduation. The results of that student census enable the University to track and address the worldview development of its students from a longitudinal perspective.
Research studies conducted by CRC are led by Dr. George Barna. Barna is a veteran of more than 40 years of national public opinion research, having previously guided the Barna group (which he sold in 2009), and the American Culture and Faith Institute. His research findings have been the subject of more than 60 books he has authored or co-authored, many of which have become national bestsellers. His most recent bestseller is Raising Spiritual Champions: Nurturing Your Child's Heart, Mind and Soul (Arizona Christian University Press, 2023).
Like ACU, CRC embraces biblical Christianity. The Center works in cooperation with a variety of Bible-centric, theologically conservative Christian ministries and remains politically non-partisan. Results from past surveys conducted by CRC and information about the Cultural Research Center are available at www.CulturalResearchCenter.com.
Further information about Arizona Christian University is available at www.ArizonaChristian.edu.
What is a 'biblical worldview' and how does CRC measure worldview?
| | | |
About the ACU Worldview Assessment
The ACU Worldview Assessment is an online tool designed to measure and strengthen biblical worldview. Developed by Dr. George Barna and based on 40+ years of research, the 15-minute assessment reveals how one's beliefs and behaviors align with biblical truth—and where one can grow.
The ACU Worldview Assessment measures worldview beliefs and behaviors in five basic categories (Bible, Truth, and Morals; God, Creation, and History; Faith Practices; Sin, Salvation, and God Relationship; and Lifestyle, Behavior, and Relationships).
It also evaluates the “Seven Cornerstones" of the Biblical Worldview. Dr. Barna’s exhaustive worldview research shows that if these seven basic worldview concepts—or cornerstones—are in place, a person is far more likely to possess or develop a biblical worldview. Only the ACU Worldview Assessment identifies and measures these worldview-building basics.
The ACU Worldview Assessment is a practical tool for evaluating and improving worldview. And there’s a specifically tailored version of the ACU Worldview Assessment for every need:
-
The ACU Worldview Assessment for Individuals -Designed specifically for adults to identify their worldview and discover areas for spiritual growth and personal worldview development.
-
The ACU Worldview Assessment for K-12 Schools – Created by Dr. Barna in collaboration with ACU professors and other educational experts, to measure the worldview of students in grades 4, 8, and 12, using a pre- and post-test format. The student assessments are specifically designed for each grade level, making the questions age-appropriate and easier to understand, while maintaining the integrity of the results. Dr. Barna’s extensive research into childhood worldview development shows that an individual’s worldview is essentially formed by age 13. This highlights the importance of strategic worldview training in Christian K-12 schools, using the ACU Worldview Assessment to measure worldview development along the way.
-
The ACU Worldview Assessment for Churches, Ministries, and Groups – This version of the assessment is designed for use by churches, ministries, and other groups of adults.
-
The ACU Worldview Assessment for Colleges and Universities – Designed in a pre- and post-test format tailored for Christian colleges and universities to use each academic year to assess the worldview of their students, and understand the effect of their university’s teaching and community on their student’s worldview development.
Visit www.ACUWorldview.com to experience the ACU Worldview Assessment.
Learn more about the new assessment by visiting the website (www.ACUWorldview.com) or in the full report, “Arizona Christian University Unveils Groundbreaking Worldview Assessment from Dr. George Barna and the Cultural Research Center.” (Available at the Research page of www.CulturalResearchCenter.com)
| | | | |
