Survey Finds Sharp Generational Divide Over Whether Biblical Truths Become ‘Obsolete’

A new survey has found a wide generational divide among Protestant churchgoers over whether biblical truths can become outdated as culture changes.

According to Lifeway Research findings published by Baptist Press, 54 percent of churchgoers between the ages of 18 and 29 agreed that “as culture changes, some biblical truths become obsolete.” The percentage dropped steadily among older respondents, falling to 40 percent for those between the ages of 30 and 49, 19 percent for those between the ages of 50 and 64, and 13 percent for those 65 and older.

The findings come from a survey of 1,200 Protestant and non-denominational churchgoers in the United States who attend religious services at least once a month. The survey was conducted from Sept. 2 to 7 and has a sampling error of plus or minus 3.2 percentage points at the 95 percent confidence level. Results were compared with a 2019 Lifeway survey conducted using the same methodology.

The differences between generations were not limited to whether biblical truths can become obsolete.

Among churchgoers between the ages of 18 and 29, 56 percent said that some biblical truths do not fit what they personally believe. The same age group was also among the most likely to say the truth of God's Word can mean different things to different people, with 87 percent agreeing.

The results come as Lifeway found an overall increase in the percentage of churchgoers questioning whether all biblical teachings remain applicable.

Across all age groups, 28 percent said that some biblical truths become obsolete as culture changes, compared with 24 percent when Lifeway asked the question in 2019. Thirty-four percent said that they accept some truths from the Bible while others do not fit what they believe, up from 30 percent seven years earlier.

Scott McConnell, executive director of Lifeway Research, contrasted changing attitudes toward Scripture with the way other books can become outdated over time.

“The concepts in any other book will show signs of age requiring new editions,” McConnell said, adding that the source of the Bible is not someone “whose truths change.”

The survey also revealed an apparent tension between churchgoers' confidence in understanding Scripture and the difficulties many experience when reading it.

Ninety-five percent said they enjoy exploring a passage of Scripture to understand its meaning, while 91 percent said that they can usually read a Bible passage and understand how it applies to them.

At the same time, 56 percent said that they find it challenging to make sense of the Bible when reading it on their own. That figure has remained almost unchanged since 2019, when 57 percent reported the same difficulty.

Women were more likely than men to report difficulty interpreting Scripture alone, at 61 percent compared with 51 percent.

Frequency of church attendance also corresponded with differences in the responses. Among those attending worship services one to three times a month, 62 percent said that they find it difficult to make sense of the Bible on their own. That fell to 52 percent among those attending four times a month or more.

Researchers also asked participants about biblical interpretation and context.

Nearly all respondents—96 percent—said understanding the context in which the Bible was written is important. Although that overall percentage was unchanged from 2019, the share who strongly agreed declined from 73 percent to 67 percent.

Similarly, 92 percent said applying the meaning and principles of Scripture to today's context is important. Sixty percent strongly agreed, compared with 66 percent in 2019.

McConnell said understanding the circumstances in which biblical passages were originally written plays a role in determining how they apply today.

“The message of the Bible was revealed to specific people in contexts we need to understand to know how that message applies to us today,” he said.

The study found additional differences based on church size and theological beliefs. Respondents attending churches with 500 or more people were the most likely to disagree that biblical truths become obsolete, with 84 percent rejecting the statement.

Lifeway also found that churchgoers it classified as holding evangelical beliefs were less likely than those without evangelical beliefs to say the truth of God's Word can mean different things to different people—75 percent compared with 90 percent.

Taken together, the survey results show that views about the Bible vary considerably among Protestant churchgoers, with age emerging as one of the clearest dividing lines on questions about whether biblical truths change with the culture.

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