Essay · belief and society

What do Americans believe about God?

A historical guide to survey findings on belief in God or a universal spirit, the importance of religion in daily life, and expectations about Jesus’ second coming.

Read the findings Explore ideas about deity

Sunlight over a broad landscape, suggesting reflection and perspective

Reading note

Poll numbers need context.

Survey questions use different wording and response choices. The figures below are historical results reported in the source essay, not a single definitive measure of personal belief.

Why wording matters

“God,” “a universal spirit,” “a higher power,” and a particular religious understanding are not interchangeable ideas. A poll can describe what respondents select in a given question, but it cannot fully explain the meaning each person attaches to that answer.

Belief in God or a universal spirit

Historical Gallup findings cited in the essay show that affirmative responses remained high for much of the twentieth century and declined in later measurements. The question combined belief in God with belief in a universal spirit, so it should not be read as a precise count of theists alone.

Survey year	Answered yes
1947	94%
1953–1954	99%
1978	94%
1994	96%
2007	92%
2011	91%
2014	89%
2018	80%

Other historical surveys separated belief in God, uncertainty and belief in a universal spirit. One 2007 set of results reported 86% who said they believed in God, 8% who were unsure and 6% who did not believe. A differently worded question recorded 78% believing in God, 14% in a universal spirit and 7% in neither.

Interpretive caution: self-reported answers can be affected by social expectations, privacy concerns, sampling choices and the precise wording of the question.

Different concepts under one label

Respondents may refer to very different ideas when they affirm belief. Christian traditions may describe God through the Trinity. Wiccan traditions commonly speak of a Goddess and God. Zoroastrian thought includes Ahura Mazda and a moral account of beneficent and destructive forces. Islam, Judaism and Sikhism generally emphasize one indivisible deity, while Deism describes a creator who is not understood as continually intervening in the world. Others use language such as higher power or universal spirit.

For related background, see Christianity, Wicca, Islam, Judaism, ideas about gods and goddesses and Deism.

Belief, uncertainty and non-theistic views

The essay also discusses research methods intended to reduce pressure on respondents. Indirect techniques can sometimes reveal views that direct questions miss, but their estimates depend on assumptions and should be treated as research findings rather than exact population counts. For introductory definitions, compare Atheism and Agnosticism.

Belief in public life

Importance is another question.

Identifying as a believer and describing God as very important are related, but they are not the same measure.

Reported importance of God

A historical comparison cited in the essay asked whether God was very important in the respondent’s life. The reported figures were 63% among American respondents and 35% among Canadian respondents. Within the American sample, the figures were 50% for men and 75% for women.

These results belong to a particular survey design and period. They should not be treated as a current estimate without checking the original study and its methods.

How researchers interpret differences

Differences between surveys can reflect question wording, timing, sample composition, response options and the distinction between religious identity, practice and personal conviction. Responsible reading keeps those distinctions visible rather than treating one percentage as a complete portrait of a population.

Christian eschatology

Expectations about Jesus’ return

Belief in a future return of Jesus has appeared in many Christian settings, though its timing and meaning are interpreted differently.

The archived essay records late-twentieth-century surveys about whether respondents expected to be alive when Jesus returned or expected his return during the next millennium. One 1997 Associated Press survey reported that 24% of American adults expected to be alive at that event. A 1999 survey reported that 52% expected Jesus to return between 2001 and 3000, with differing results among evangelical Protestants, other Protestants, Roman Catholics and non-Christians.

These are historical expectations, not predictions. Christian communities differ substantially in how they read apocalyptic texts, the concept of the rapture, and the end of the world. The passage of a predicted date does not by itself resolve the theological questions; it illustrates why dates and claims should be identified as belonging to a particular period and tradition.

Reader guide

Questions about the data

Do these figures measure belief in a personal God?

Not always. Some questions combine belief in God with belief in a universal spirit or higher power, so the response categories must be read carefully.

Why do surveys produce different percentages?

Question wording, sampling, timing, response choices and the setting of the interview can all influence results.

Does identifying as Christian answer the question?

No. Religious identity, participation, doctrinal belief, uncertainty and personal spirituality can overlap in different ways.

Are the poll results on this page current?

No. This is an educational website treatment of historical findings. Current conclusions require consulting recent, methodologically transparent research.

Where can I learn more about non-theistic perspectives?

Begin with the pages on Atheism, Agnosticism and Humanism.

How can I report an error in this essay?

Use the contact page or email info@religioustolerance.en-html.org with the page title and correction.