CRC Staff | September 5, 2025 |
From the Cultural Research Center at Arizona Christian University
GLENDALE, AZ) — While Americans—84%—acknowledge that sin exists, many do not consider themselves sinners. And a new report identifies the same pattern in the Church—where only one in seven—or about 14%—self-described Christians embraces a biblically consistent view of sin, while most instead believe people are “basically good at heart.”
According to the latest report from the American Worldview Inventory 2025 from the Cultural Research Center at Arizona Christian University, tens of millions of American adults resist the idea that everyone is guilty of sin. Only half of all American adults (52%) believe that everyone has sinned, despite this being a foundational Christian doctrine and the basis of every person’s need for salvation through Jesus Christ. Only two out of three self-professed Christians (66%) hold that view.
Despite these beliefs, just over half of all adults (52%) admit that they personally are guilty of sin. Even among theologically-defined born-again Christians—those who profess reliance on Christ’s forgiveness of their sins for salvation—one in four denies personal guilt of sin, revealing a sharp disconnect between professed faith and personal acknowledgment of sin.
At the same time, 70% of American adults believe people are “basically good at heart,” despite many of those people acknowledging the existence of sin and the widespread commission of sins. In fact, among self-identified Christians, 72% believe that people are “basically good at heart.” And a full 70% of theologically-identified born-again Christians—those who believe they will live eternally in Heaven because they have confessed their sins and accepted Jesus Christ as Savior—hold this belief.
According to Dr. George Barna, author of the study, such trust in human nature directly contradicts biblical teaching, which describes the human heart as corrupt and in need of redemption. And such confusion about sin strikes at the core of the Christian message.
As Barna noted, “Describing all people as ‘basically good at heart’ is the culturally-comfortable dismissal of sin that millions of people use to ignore the possibility that their love affair with disobedience to God is a life-threatening spiritual disease with eternal consequences.”
Still Barna remains hopeful. “Sin is not a difficult concept to understand or identify,” explained. “Inserting sin back into the national consciousness would be an invaluable investment into who we are as a nation and as the Church.”
In addition to a general lack of biblical understanding about sin, the study also found significant differences across generations. Only 41% of Gen Z adults (ages 18–22) say everyone sins, compared to 49% of Millennials, 53% of Gen X, and 57% of Baby Boomers. Younger adults are also less likely to see themselves as sinners—47% of those under 50 embrace that label, compared to 56% of older Americans.
Barna said such views reflect a failure of churches and Christian leaders to teach a biblical understanding of sin, pointing to a 2019 study from Pew Research showing that only 3% of sermons in American churches even mentioned sin.
He called that silence a serious failure of spiritual leadership. “That’s a devastating body-blow to the Church world,” he said, noting that when churches avoid the topic, believers are left without the biblical framework and wisdom needed to understand their own condition or the hope offered in Christ.
Barna stressed that teaching on sin must begin with shaping the hearts and minds of the next generation.
“Parents, pastors, and religious influencers have a vital responsibility to keep basic biblical truths before the Christian body, including the reality of sin and its repercussions,” he said. Without such clarity, he warned, Christians will lack the foundation to flourish in their faith, stand firm against cultural pressures, and influence the world around them with the hope of the Gospel.
The findings are part of the American Worldview Inventory 2025 – Report #8: “Millions of American Christians Deny Their Sinfulness.” The full report, along with earlier releases in the series, is available here.
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George Barna is a veteran researcher of 40 years and author of 60-plus books, including Raising Spiritual Champions: Nurturing Your Child’s Heart, Mind and Soul, which immediately became a bestseller on Amazon when it was released in late 2023.
Raising Spiritual Champions, published by Arizona Christian University Press in collaboration with Texas-based Fedd Books, covers a variety of topics helpful to parents and Christian leaders, including research-based descriptions of how a child’s worldview develops; the relationships between worldview and discipleship; how parents can develop a simple plan to guide their child to a biblical worldview, and to become a disciple of Jesus Christ; the role churches and godly church leaders can play in that process; measuring the worldview of children; and more.
For more information about Raising Spiritual Champions—including discounts for quantity orders—email: [email protected].
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