A recent survey of American adults found that despite a surge of interest in Christianity and church attendance in the months since Charlie Kirk's assassination, the number of people who adhere to a biblical worldview remains critically low, including just 1% of Gen Z.

Conducted in January by Arizona Christian University's Cultural Research Center under the guidance of researcher George Barna, the latest installment of the American Worldview Inventory asked 2,000 American adults a series of 53 questions to discern if they live consistently with a biblical worldview.

"The survey results indicate that despite the increased attention given to faith matters after the Charlie Kirk murder, and the growth in church attendance and individuals purchasing Bibles immediately after that incident, there is no hint of improvement when it comes to biblical worldview," the survey said.

The results found that only 4% of Americans overall possess "religious beliefs and worldview-related behaviors ... consistent with biblical principles, beliefs and behavior," according to a demographic the survey called "Integrated Disciples."

Ten percent qualified as "Emergent Followers," defined as those whose biblical worldview is marked by syncretism. The vast majority — 85% — classified as "World Citizens," who might have some beliefs and behaviors consistent with a biblical worldview, but overall adhere to something else. The last category has grown 16 percentage points from the 69% measured in 2020.

Rates were especially low among young people, and the survey found a large age gap among the generations. Among Gen Z adults, only 1% had a biblical worldview, compared to 2% of millennials, and 7% of Gen X, baby boomers, and those older.

A segment of the survey examined the effect of church attendance on a biblical worldview and found that the rate of "Integrated Disciples" among Evangelical churchgoers has plummeted in recent years, from 21% in 2020 to 11% this year.

Evangelical churchgoers were only modestly more likely to have a biblical worldview compared to those who attend churches that don't generally believe that Jesus Christ is the only means to salvation or that the Bible is the Word of God and a reliable guide for life.

The survey found that 53% of self-identified Christian respondents classified as "Notional Christians," which the survey defined as those who do not believe that salvation comes through a personal confession of sin and acceptance of Jesus Christ as Savior.

The survey also saw a strong correlation between biblical worldview and political orientation, with 12% of political conservatives possessing one, compared to only 1% of moderates and 1% of liberals. Even among conservatives, the rate has dropped from 16% in 2020.

Among those who identify as LGBT, only one-half of one percent had a biblical worldview, compared to 5% who identify as straight.

Commenting on the results of the AWI 2026 survey, Barna said "the fate of our nation hangs in the balance" and that "the national divide is an indication of the spiritual battle for the soul of America."

Describing the situation as "urgent," Barna warned that Americans are losing their historically Christian culture, and that with just 1% of Gen Z exhibiting a biblical worldview, it potentially faces "extinction" if trends are not reversed.

"Make no mistake about it, we are losing American society and all that it has historically represented because we have succumbed to the influence of the culture instead of the exhortations and promises of God," he said. "Entertainment and media messages as well as public policies and errant public education have distorted the thinking and behavior of our young people."

Barna suggested that even though the numbers remain sobering, the fact that they haven't continued to decline might offer hope that improvement is on the horizon.

"A quarter century ago, 12% of the adult population held a biblical worldview," he said. "Since then, we have seen a steady reduction in that incidence. We reached a low point — 4% — in 2023."

"The fact that we have not plumbed new depths since then hopefully suggests that we have bottomed out and are in line to experience positive growth in biblical thought and action."

According to recent data from Pew Research Center's Religious Landscape Study analyzed by Lifeway Research, younger members of Gen Z — those born 2003 to 2007 — report higher levels of religious engagement than slightly older peers born between 1995 and 2002, pointing to a possible shift. Among that group, 61% identify with a religion, 35% pray daily, 37% say religion is very important in their lives and 41% attend services at least monthly.

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