GLENDALE, Ariz. — The tenth installation of the nationwide “American Worldview” survey conducted by Dr. George Barna and the Cultural Research Center at Arizona Christian University found that most Millennials don’t have a biblical worldview: They are less likely to believe in absolute truth, to value the sanctity of human life or trust the Bible as the inerrant word of God.
“We’ve always sensed that the culture has been pulling the next generation away from biblical values and truths many were raised with,” university President Len Munsil said in a statement. “This study is more confirmation, and illustrates the necessity of preparing young Christians with a heart to transform their generation with biblical truth.”
As previously reported, the Center surveyed 2,000 adults at random in January for its American Worldview Inventory study, interviewing those of all ages, ethnicities, beliefs and political persuasions on the telephone or online. It found a significant difference between the beliefs of Millennials (ages 18-36) and those of Generation X (ages 37-55) and Baby Boomers (ages 56-74).
“For instance, Millennials are 15 percentage points less likely than Gen Xers to say they treat other people the same way they want to be treated, and are 28 points less likely than Baby Boomers to embrace that approach (known to Christians as the ‘Golden Rule’),” the study states.
And despite trumpeting tolerance, Millennials were admittedly less tolerant of those who are different than themselves.
“Further, Millennials also stood out as the generation that is most likely to acknowledge that they are ‘committed to getting even’ with those who wrong them — in fact, 28 percentage points more likely than Baby Boomers to hold a vengeful point of view,” the Center explains.
They are additionally less than half as likely to believe that life is sacred but more apt to hold to the view that humans are just “material substance only” or that their life is “an illusion.”
While 61% of Millennials surveyed identified as Christian, their held beliefs differed from other generations in that only 18% believe that the purpose of life is to know, love and serve God, 28% accept the Bible as the inerrant word of God and 31% agree that God is the basis of all truth.
Yet, 60% agreed with the statement, “God loves me unconditionally.”
“[T]he faith gap between Millennials and their predecessors (i.e., Gen X and Boomers) is the widest intergenerational difference identified at any time in the last seven decades,” the Center advised, citing “significant differences” between Millennials and Baby Boomers in 48 of the 56 variables studied.
“These profiles are profoundly disturbing,” Barna remarked in a statement. “The significantly divergent worldview perspectives and applications of the four generations—especially how different the Millennials are from all of their predecessors — suggests a nation that is at war with itself to adopt new values, lifestyles, and a new identity.”
“In other words, there is a war for worldview dominance. But, as the Scriptures remind us, a nation at war with itself cannot persist.”
1 Timothy 4:12 states, “Let no man despise thy youth, but be thou an example of the believers, in word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity.”
Psalm 119:9 also teaches, “Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way? By taking heed thereto according to Thy word.”
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