Barna research group sends me teasers of their latest research. They recently did a survey to see who qualifies as an evangelical. According to their research, 38% of Americans (84 million) self-identify as evangelical Christians. However, this survey finds only 8% (17 million) actually meet their 9 point criteria of true evangelical faith, criteria apparently developed over the last 2 decades in concert with the NAE.
What are these criteria? Well, the teaser doesn’t give the exact verbiage of the questions but here’s the content areas in my words:
1. born again beliefs (belief that one has a personal relationship with God because of confessing sins and accepting Jesus as savior and will one day be in heaven as a result)
2. faith is very important to life
3. personal responsibility to evangelize others
4. belief that Satan is real
5. salvation is only possible through grace and not by works
6. bible is accurate in all that it teaches
7. God is creator of the universe, active in the world and is all-knowing, all-powerful, etc.
8. Jesus lived a sinless life on earth
Would you use these criteria to define your christian identity? What do you think is missing? Notice it doesn’t address how often you read the bible or go to church.
Those who self-identify as evangelicals (but do not meet the criteria per Barna) are most different in the area of criteria 4 and 5. Per their research, that group is 60% and 53% less likely to believe in Satan as real and salvation is only through grace and not works. I’m a bit surprised. I would have thought the big difference is on criteria 6. I suspect some would fit all the above descriptors but take a differing view on the Scriptures in that they might believe that some passages are more culture bound and therefore not accurate.
Musings on Faith and Psychology 
I wouldn’t disagree with any of those, but they are insufficient.
where is personal holiness? engagement of culture on the issue of justice? to name a few.
Apparently NAE doesn’t consider those things essential. Too bad because you are right to name those as essential parts of the Gospel.
If a biblical passage is linked to the culture of the time (let’s take women braiding and adorning their hair), you say it is therefore inaccurate? I would strongly disagree with you. Can God’s Word be right now and wrong later or is there a deeper, more timeless message we can gain? For instance, in the example, it would the principle of modesty.
Nan, you misunderstood my post. I did not take a personal position in the above post that some things were culture bound and therefore not applicable to us today. What I was commenting on was that I know more and more evangelicals (those who would agree with 1-5, 7-8 above) but disagree with 8, that there are things taught in the bible that were for a particular time but not for today. What do I personally think? I think the bible is the supreme authority in all that it teaches. It is entirely the Word of God to all ages. I do think, however, we have sometimes misunderstood a text and misapplied it only to learn later that we have done so (exhibit A: use of biblical passages to support slavery).
Hope that helps clarify what I was saying.
It does. Thanks Phil. I took one of John Franke’s theology classes several years ago. He shared a quote from Calvin that said something like every good theologian is about 20% wrong in his theology. My question is, was Calvin’s assessment part of that 20% margin of error? (–:
Personal holiness? I guess it depends what you mean …
I am coming from a more legalistic understanding of personal holiness – that if you don’t stop doing x,y,z and start doing a,b,c then you probably aren’t a Christian yet. I believe in justification being a “declared righteousness” that we get because of what Christ has done. I also believe “simul justus et peccator” – we are, at the same time, just and sinner. Therefore “personal holiness” should probably be called “becoming more like Christ” which is something the Holy Spirit accomplishes on our behalf as well … He who began a good work in you will be faithful to complete it …