CRC Staff | September 16, 2025 |
From the Cultural Research Center at Arizona Christian University
(GLENDALE, AZ) —Americans are deeply confused about the nature of sin—with only one in seven (14%) holding a consistently biblical view of sin. And much of this confusion stems from how the nation’s adults define “sin,” what they believe it does, and who they trust to explain it, according to research from the Cultural Research Center at Arizona Christian University.
The new report from Dr. George Barna identifies a number of prevailing misperceptions that fuel this pattern, ranging from denying the heart’s corruption to trivializing sin as insignificant. In addition, the research found that millions of Americans downplay sin’s seriousness—focusing on guilt and personal comfort rather than obedience to God.
As to the source of Americans’ view of sin, most who believe sin exists look to the Bible and church teaching for guidance—but nearly as many rely on their own feelings and logic, according to the latest release from the American Worldview Inventory 2025.
These findings build on an earlier CRC AWVI 2025 report showing that although four out of five adults believe sin exists, only half think all people sin and about the same number are willing to call themselves “a sinner.”
In their belief that people are “basically good at heart,” the overwhelming majority of Americans (75%) blur the seriousness of sin. In fact, the perspectives that most Americans have on sin are riddled with both logical and theological inconsistencies, the report said.
Barna, veteran researcher and author of the study, expressed hope that the troubling new findings will cause people to reflect more deeply on sin and its consequences.
“As a nation, we have generally made peace with all but the most egregious or personally painful sins,” Barna explained. “For America to be spiritually restored will require us to recognize the death grip that sin has on our minds, hearts, and souls.”
“As our nation is reeling from the tensions and sadness heightened by recent episodes of political violence, suicides, rampant crime, and other threats to our way of life and existence,” he noted, “the opportunity for the Church to restore sanity and security by unashamedly proclaiming the truths conveyed in the Bible is undeniable.”
The new AWVI 2025 report identifies a number of major misperceptions that help explain why Americans define sin in often contradictory ways:
- The Source of Sin. Less than half of all adults—just 43%—believe that sinful behavior stems from a wicked, corrupt heart, despite the Bible’s teaching on the matter. Groups especially likely to accept this biblical truth include blacks (58%), theologically-identified born-again Christians (59%), and those attending evangelical (67%) or Pentecostal churches (71%). The least likely include Asians (35%), adults over 65 (34%), LGBTQ individuals (33%), and those with no religious faith (16%).
- Disobedience vs. Rebellion. Three out of five adults (62%) said that sin can be understood as “an act of disobedience against God.” Americans are more comfortable with this description than with viewing sin as “rebellion.” Viewing sin as disobedience is most common among blacks (66%), theologically-identified born-again Christians (92%), and evangelical (85%) or Pentecostal churchgoers (89%). By contrast, only 15% of people with no religious faith, 39% of LGBTQ adults, 45% of those in non-Christian faiths, 46% of adults under 30, and 49% of Western state residents accept this definition.
- Guilt. About six in 10 (61%) indicated that sin produces guilt, with many saying that guilt is “often worse than the sin” itself. Catholics were particularly likely to affirm this (73%), while the least likely were adults with no religious affiliation (28%).
- Life-Changing Impact. Just over half (56%) believe that “sin is a life changer.” Yet one-third of adults who believe sin exists reject the idea that it has a significant impact on life. Theologically-identified born-again Christians and independent or non-denominational church attenders were most likely to embrace sin as life-altering, while atheists and agnostics were least likely.
- Rebellion Against God. A little more than half of adults (56%) said that “sin is rebellion against God.” Millions conceive of sin as a behavior judged apart from God’s will. Among those most likely to affirm rebellion against God were theologically-identified born-again Christians (82%) and attenders of evangelical (82%) or non-denominational churches (80%). The least likely were people with no religious faith (15%), atheists and agnostics (21%), and Asians (42%).
- Intentional Wrongdoing. About half (53%) define sin as “intentional choices that you know are morally wrong.” But the population splits sharply: 12% said such choices “don’t matter much,” while 41% said they “matter spiritually.” Four percent dismissed sin as “unintentional mistakes,” 14% claimed there are no absolutes in defining sin, and 13% described sin as a “customized religious distinctive.” One in six adults (16%) denied the existence of sin altogether.
The report also found that most Americans who believe in sin look to the Bible and church teaching for guidance—but nearly as many rely on their own feelings and logic.
Sixty-two percent say they turn to the Bible and 47% to religious or church-based teaching. Yet almost as many depend on personal feelings (43%) or reason and logic (40%). Other sources include guidance from trusted people (34%), laws and public policy (25%), prevailing cultural standards (24%), tradition (23%), and school lessons (20%). Only small minorities look to other sacred texts (15%) or the beliefs of the majority (8%), the report found.
Barna has spent more than four decades examining the religious beliefs and behavior of Americans. He called such disparities in how we view sin “a hallmark of American religious faith.”
“Americans tend to spend comparatively little time studying faith, reflecting on what we have learned, and searching to eliminate the paradoxes, impurities, and impossibilities in our personal belief system,” Barna said.
“We often resist accepting long-held perspectives on aspects of the Christian faith in favor of creating a customized version of Christianity that provides personal comfort rather than truth and reliability,” he explained. “As time goes on, we see an increasing desire to satisfy feelings rather than logic.”
The result? Americans have embraced “muddled theology of sin” that is “deeply personal albeit immature and imprecise faith conviction,” Barna explained.
Still, he is hopeful—noting that the findings identify a powerful opportunity to restore clarity and security by proclaiming the truths of the Bible—especially in the Church. “The only question is who will be bold enough to steadfastly share God’s truths with a people who so desperately need His forgiveness and loving guidance,” he said.
Barna encouraged church leaders to integrate more emphasis and wisdom related to sin in their teaching and conversations.
“If the Church is not distinct from the culture in its understanding of and response to sin, it loses its power and authority,” Barna explained.
The findings are part of the American Worldview Inventory 2025 – Report #9: “Research Identifies Common Sources of Confusion about Sin.” ” 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.
Barna also led the development of the ACU Worldview Assessment, a powerful online tool designed to measure and strengthen worldview. Based on more than 40 years of research, this 15-minute assessment reveals how a person’s beliefs and behaviors align with biblical truth—and how to grow spiritually. The ACU Worldview Assessment measures worldview beliefs and behaviors in five basic categories. It also evaluates the “Seven Cornerstones” of the Biblical Worldview, which Dr. Barna’s research shows are the basics of worldview development. Only the ACU Worldview Assessment identifies and measures these worldview-building basics.
The ACU Worldview Assessment has multiple versions: Individual; Churches, Ministries & Groups; Colleges and Universities. The ACU Worldview Assessment for Schools is a specially designed online assessment for use in grades 4, 8, and 12. For more information, visit: www.ACUWorldview.com.
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