Yesterday Ligonier Ministries published an infographic of the findings of a recent study, titled, "The State of Theology." This study is important for a variety of reasons; first, because our theology impacts every area of our lives. It shapes and drives us as humans. A.W. Tozer's oft-quoted line rings dead true: "What comes into our minds when we think about God is the most important thing about us." Second, this study better equips us for evangelism. Furthermore, it gives us better insight into America's religiosity and what the majority of our culture believes, as well as the majority of Evangelical Protestants.
With sobering statistics, it sheds a slice of light on the theological convictions of Americans today. And the results aren't pretty.
There are six categories in the study: God, sin, heaven and hell, pluralism, ethics, and the church. The results consistently show a taming of God, a minimizing of (or disbelief in) sin, a belief in heaven but not in hell, a resounding advocate for pluralism, poor ethics, and a dark misunderstanding of the role of the church in society.
The conclusion of the study reads like this:
Our culture is anti-theological - we are in a new dark age.
"These responses show that we have a true mission for the church, to help the church think through and proclaim these doctrines." - R.C. Sproul
The state of theology is more important than we realize. Dr. Sproul has said often, "Everyone's a theologian." This study demonstrates the stunning gap in theological awareness throughout our nation, in our neighborhoods, and even in the seat next to us at church.
Read the results of the study for yourself here.
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